Michael Rainey Jr. is ‘still processing’ after sexual assault on livestream

Michael Rainey Jr. speaks out after being touched without his consent during a livestream.

On June 9 Power Book II: Mind The 23-year-old star appeared on TyTy James’ Twitch livestream and was inappropriately grabbed by James’ sister in a moment that was caught on camera during the stream and later shared on X (formerly Twitter).

In a statement to PEOPLE, a spokesperson for Rainey Jr. said he was “deeply saddened and shocked by the events that unfolded during the TyTy James livestream this past weekend. He is still processing what happened and is unsure of what to make of it.”

“This situation is not taken lightly,” the statement continued. “Sexual harassment and assault are serious and unacceptable acts. Exploiting a person’s fame in this way devalues ​​entertainers and underscores the need to respect their humanity. Those who entertain us are human beings like everyone else.”

In the video, James’ sister’s hands were blocked by the children standing in front of her, but Rainey Jr. appeared visibly uncomfortable as she approached him. He appeared to reach down to block her contact while looking around for help. The actor reportedly left the livestream shortly after the encounter.

In his Instagram stories, Rainey Jr. wrote that he was “still in shock” and “can’t take this lightly because I know I would be in serious trouble if the roles were reversed.”

“This is an unfortunate situation that I cannot condone in any way,” he wrote. “The fact is that sexual assault is never okay, regardless of gender or status. We are all human and should respect each other. Most importantly, we should respect ourselves.”

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James also posted a statement on the clip in his Instagram stories: “After the events that unfolded during my stream last night, I would like to sincerely apologize to Michael and his family for what happened.”

“My little sister was completely wrong and misbehaved. What she did was very inappropriate and unacceptable. I am truly ashamed and disgusted by her behavior,” the statement continued.

“I completely respect whatever Michael chooses to do in this situation. After seeing the clip, I was completely baffled by what she did. I will take extreme precautions on future streams to avoid similar issues and have banned her from participating in future streams. I do not tolerate any form of abuse.”

If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, please contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or go to Rainn.org.