Rygin King arrested in New York for possession of weapons

Dancehall star Rygin King was arrested in New York on a number of weapons charges. DancehallMag has confirmed.

According to New York State court records, the charges include second-degree criminal possession of a weapon (loaded firearm), third-degree criminal possession of a weapon (ammunition magazines), possession of an ammunition feeding device and fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon.

The 29-year-old artist, whose real name is Matthew Smith, was arrested on Monday (July 8) by the NYPD’s 113th Precinct’s Midnight Public Safety Team. The circumstances of the arrest are unclear, but a source said DancehallMag that King was with other men who were also arrested.

He was tried and pleaded not guilty.

His first court appearance is scheduled for Friday (July 12) at 9 a.m. in Queens Supreme Criminal Court.

King is represented by court-appointed attorney Marc B. Laykind.

In New York, illegal possession of a loaded firearm (the “primary charge”) carries a statutory minimum sentence of 3.5 years in prison, usually for someone with no prior criminal record, and a maximum sentence of 15 years.

In 2020, Rygin King was travelling in the Struie area of ​​Westmoreland when one of the three vehicles in his entourage crashed. They had stopped at the scene of the accident for about 45 minutes to assess the damage when another car pulled up with two men inside who opened fire.

His manager’s wife, 28-year-old Sashalee Blackwood, who was sitting in one of the vehicles with their two children, was shot.

Chased into a ditch and shot three times, King spent many weeks in medical facilities, being moved for safety reasons, and undergoing critical surgical procedures.

He is still confined to a wheelchair.

The shooters escaped and were not identified.

King left Jamaica in the summer of 2021 to seek advice from orthopedic specialists in the United States and reportedly began treatment for his condition there.

His debut album therapy (2022)inspired by his rehabilitation, included songs like the title song Therapy, circumstances And Broken.

He continued the theme in his second album, recreation (2024), which included songs like the title track recovery, solidAnd Injure.

His most streamed songs are Tuff, Glu, How I growAnd 3ZN.