NEW YORK (AP) — The rapper Offset has been released from the hospital after being shot earlier this week outside a Florida casino, a spokesperson said Friday.
Offset, one-third of the influential hip-hop trio Migos, was shot Monday night following a fight at the Seminole Hard Rock in Hollywood, just north of Miami.
On Tuesday, a spokesperson for Offset confirmed that the rapper was in stable condition, but his exact condition was unknown. Police said the injuries were not life-threatening.
“Offset has been released from the hospital and he is up and walking," a representative for Offset said on Friday. "We’re incredibly grateful to the doctors, nurses, and the entire hospital staff who took such great care of him.”
The rapper shared his own statement on social media Friday, writing, “Thank you to everyone who’s checked in on me and showed me love! I’m good….but I’m planning to be better! I’m focused on my family, my recovery, and getting back to the music…realizing that life is made up of quiet wins and loud losses...”
“Life’s a gamble and I’m still playing to win,” he concluded.
Earlier this week, officers detained two people. The rapper Lil Tjay, born Tione Jayden Merritt, was arrested in connection with the altercation that occurred before the shooting, the Seminole Police Department in Florida said. He was charged with disorderly conduct and operating a vehicle without a valid license.
The second person detained at the scene has not been charged and investigators were working to identify others involved, police said in a statement Tuesday.
Offset, born Kiari Kendrell Cephus, launched his career with Migos, one of the most popular hip-hop groups of all time. The Atlanta trio is celebrated for their rapid-fire triplet flow, an often-imitated delivery that changed the trajectory of trap.
The group had several multiplatinum selling singles, including “Bad and Boujee,” which went No. 1 on the all-genre Billboard Hot 100 chart, “Stir Fry,” and “Narcos." Migos released four full-length albums across their career.
More than three years ago, Offset’s cousin Takeoff, another member of Migos, was shot and killed at a Houston bowling alley.
As a solo artist known for his idiosyncratic style — a melodic, aggressive finesse — Offset has released three full-length albums.
He was also previously married to the rapper Cardi B. The pair were secretly wed in September 2017 in Atlanta. In 2024, Cardi B announced that she filed for divorce. They have three children together.
FILE - Cardi B, left, and Offset arrive at the Pre-Grammy Gala And Salute To Industry Icons, in Beverly Hills, Calif. on Jan. 25, 2020. (Photo by Mark Von Holden/Invision/AP, File)
FILE - Rapper Offset makes a guest appearance during Metro Boomin's set at Billboard R&B Hip-Hop Live, a celebration of the 50th anniversary of hip-hop, at The Novo, in Los Angeles, Aug. 8, 2023. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello, File)
FILE - Offset arrives at the iHeartRadio Music Awards, March 17, 2025, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP, File)
WOODLAND, Calif. (AP) — Five people have been charged with murder in a deadly Northern California explosion at a fireworks warehouse that killed seven people, authorities said.
Yolo County Deputy District Attorney Clara Nabity said Friday the charges stem from a grand jury indictment that found five people, including a former Yolo County Sheriff lieutenant, responsible for the explosion.
The deadly fireworks explosion near the small farming community of Esparto in Yolo County sparked a massive fire and led to nearby Fourth of July celebrations being called off.
Those charged with murder include Samuel Machado, who owned the warehouse about 40 miles (64 kilometers) northwest of Sacramento. At the time, he was a lieutenant with the Yolo County Sheriff’s Office.
Kenneth Chee, owner of Devastating Pyrotechnics, whose illegal fireworks were being stored at the warehouse, has also been charged with murder and was arrested in Florida. He appeared in a Florida courtroom Friday and was told he will be extradited to California within the week, KCRA-TV reported.
Authorities also arrested Jack Lee, the operations manager for Devastating Pyrotechnic, and Gary Chan Jr., whose name is on the company’s federal license, the television station reported. Both also face murder charges. The fifth person charged with murder is Douglas Tollefson, who has not yet been arrested. Tollefson's role in the explosion was not immediately known.
“This is not a case just about fireworks,” Yolo County Deputy District Attorney Clara Nabity said. “They are devices that have so much more explosive fireworks than the law allows that they can’t be considered fireworks.”
Nabity said a total of eight people face 30 charges in the case, including murder, conspiracy to commit a crime and possession of illegal assault weapons.
Machado, Chee, Lee, Chan were arrested Thursday along with Craig Cutright, the owner of Blackstar Fireworks, which operated at the Esparto property owned by Machado and his wife, was also among those arrested. Cutright, was a volunteer firefighter for the Esparto Fire District and was also listed as an employee of Devastating Pyrotechnics.
One of Cutright’s employees, Ronald Botelho III, has been in custody since December. More than a dozen new charges were filed against him Thursday, jail records show.
Machado's wife, Tammy Machado, also faces charges and was arrested Thursday but was released after posting bail. She was a non-sworn administrative employee at the Yolo County Sheriff's Office. Both Samuel and Tammy Machado were put on leave after the incident.
At the time of explosion, people living nearby described the blast being so strong that it blew open the doors of homes.
Nisa Gutierrez told the Sacramento CBS affiliate KOVR-TV that she and her daughter were in their yard and were nearly knocked over as their pony and goats scattered.
“We hear like a big boom, and feel the wave,” Gutierrez said. “I thought it was a bomb.”
After the explosion, officials in nearby Sutter and Yuba counties announced they would find alternatives for Fourth of July celebrations after their fireworks were destroyed in the blast.
Smoke and flames rise during a fireworks warehouse explosion near Esparto, Calif., Tuesday, July 1, 2025. (Kent Porter/The Press Democrat via AP, File)
