Don Lemon would have been caught in the crossfire of Rihanna‘s home shooting, at least that is what he believes.
The journalist shared how a simple decision may have yielded a possible fatal result for him earlier this month. A shooter let loose an assault rifle aimed at the iconic singer’s residence, reportedly firing several rounds of bullets, but thankfully, no lives were lost.
Don Lemon and Rihanna have nurtured a friendship over time. She was even by his side for his birthday celebration, which came shortly after his arrest for covering an anti-ICE protest live.
How Rihanna’s Home Shooting Incident Could Have Affected Don Lemon
Lemon recalled the recent attack on Rihanna’s residence, sharing how he was almost in the vicinity that fateful day. He revealed that he was supposed to be in the singer’s neighborhood that night, visiting a friend, when the shooter gunned down the mansion.
Explaining how he got lucky just by changing his mind about visiting his friend, her told outlets that he opted out of going to Rihanna’s neighborhood that night because of complications caused by the L.A. Marathon. It was a really close call because, according to the journalist, his friend’s house is really close to the singers, and she suffered some damage from the shooting.
Lemon shared how his year could have been a lot worse with TMZ at the 12th Annual Better Brothers Los Angeles Truth Awards on Saturday. The broadcaster has already had a rough year and is still dealing with legal issues from his recent arrest; getting shot at is not an activity he wants to add to his list.
Inside The Singer’s Home Shooting Incident
On Sunday, March 8, authorities received reports of a firearm being discharged at Rihanna’s residence. The gunwoman, later identified as Ivana Lisette Ortiz, was caught and taken into custody after firing at least 10 shots at the singer’s home in Beverly Hills.
According to more reports, Rihanna and her family were at home when the incident occurred. Sources revealed that the “Diamonds” singer was washing dishes when she heard the sounds of the shots; her kids were at home as well as her partner A$AP Rocky.
The shooting, fortunately, did not result in any fatality, but there was significant damage to property. The multiple bullets shot from Ortiz’s car hit Rihanna’s front gate before she withdrew from the scene. Officers were able to find and arrest her shortly, thanks to the vivid description of her car and outfit from observers.
The Shooting Was Not Random
From further investigations, it was determined that Ortiz did not just randomly go trigger crazy. The Blast shared that she had been following the mom of three on social media, trying to get her attention by commenting and tagging her under posts.
Last month, Ortiz dragged Rihanna, claiming that she had AIDS in two different posts. “@badgalriri Are you there? Cause I was waiting for your AIDS 5-head self to say something to me directly instead of sneaking around like you’re talking to me where I’m not at,” the suspect wrote. In the second post, dated February 17, she even claimed legendary singer Drake knew that the “Umbrella” singer had the incurable disease.
In another post from December 20, the shooter dragged Kim Kardashian as well, calling her a “stupid b-tch” while stating that she was “through with Rihanna.” She also submitted a petition against Rihanna’s promoter, Live Nation Worldwide, and the city of Orlando.
Going through Ortiz’s social media accounts, it became evident that Rihanna was not the only celebrity she called out, even though she took it past the internet with the singer. She previously posted a video dissing Cardi B and also filed a petition to stop Billie Eilish’s performance at the Kia Center last year.
The Journalist Marked His 60th Birthday With Rihanna By His Side
Lemon shook the internet when he posted a birthday selfie with gleaming smiles on a rooftop with Rihanna. His caption read “Birthday hijinks with my girl Rihanna,” with her 2011 hit “Birthday Cake” set as the background music.
He had previously shared that his plans for the day, as he stepped into the sixth decade of his life, included a “spa day in a beach town.” The journalist celebrated his birthday weeks after he was arrested while covering a live event at Cities Church in St. Paul, where protesters raised their voices against Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
TMZ noted that Lemon got into the heat with Nicki Minaj slamming him on social media. One of her posts read “DON ‘C-CK SUCKIN’ LEMON IS DISGUSTING” along with several other insulting remarks. While Minaj and Rihanna have never had a pubic fued, it’s clear that they stand on opposite sides of Lemon.
Don Lemon Has Other Supporters Besides Rihanna
Lemon made it clear while appearing on “Jimmy Kimmel Live” after his release that he attended the protest as a reporter doing his duty for the press and not as a protester. He stressed that it was clear that he was not at the church to cause disruption or join the protest; rather, he was just doing his job. Jimmy Kimmel then joked that he was arrested for “committing journalism.”
The news anchor then gave his input on the motive behind his arrest, stating that he believes it was geared towards embarrassing and instilling fear in him. He explicitly told reporters outside the courthouse following his release from custody, “I’ve spent my entire career covering the news, I will not stop now.”
As shared by The Blast, Lemon attended the Grammys a day after his release with his husband, Timothy Malone. He walked the red carpet with his head held high and posed for photos with his partner. At the Pre-Grammys party, Lemon was welcomed with a standing ovation from the audience. Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi reportedly told the journalist that he was now the “face of the First Amendment.” Clive Davis, who hosted the party, also gave Lemon a shout-out over the microphone.
Thankfully, Don Lemon was not in Rihanna’s neighborhood that day.