Rick Ross Arrested in Miami Over Alleged Strangulation, Battery of Woman

American rapper Rick Ross has been arrested in Miami Beach, Florida, over allegations of battery by strangulation and battery in a domestic violence case.

Ross, whose real name is William Leonard Roberts, was arrested by Miami Beach police early Thursday and booked into the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Centre at about 6:10am, according to Miami-Dade jail and court records.

The 50-year-old rapper faces one felony count of battery by strangulation and one misdemeanor count of battery, with both charges classified as domestic violence. His bond was listed at $5,000 for the strangulation charge and $1,000 for the battery charge, bringing the total to $6,000.

An arrest affidavit cited by The U.S. Sun said a woman who told police she had been in a relationship with Ross for about a year alleged that he became angry after discovering she had been tagged in an Instagram photograph. She said Ross questioned her about the image and accused her of being involved with another man.

The woman alleged that Ross slapped her in the face before striking her several times in the chest. She further claimed that he grabbed the collar of her hoodie, twisted it around her neck and choked her until she could not breathe.

She also alleged that Ross pulled her by her ponytail and slammed her against a wall before striking her in the face while she was bent over, leaving an injury to her lip. According to the affidavit, she further claimed that Ross pushed her to the floor, turned on the shower and attempted to spray her with the showerhead.

Ross’ lawyer, Bradley Horenstein, has denied the allegations and urged the public not to reach a conclusion before the legal process is completed. “All I can say is that the allegations are false. He’s innocent. Everything is going to come out,” Horenstein told CBS News Miami.

Ross is scheduled to appear in court for arraignment on October 22. The arrest came days after his former girlfriend, Jazzma Kendrick, publicly accused him of physical abuse and shared photographs of what she said was a lip injury from an incident about a month earlier.

Kendrick said she ended her relationship with Ross following the alleged incident and accused him of treating her like a “punching bag.” It remains unclear whether her allegations are connected to the criminal case, and authorities have not immediately confirmed the identity of the alleged victim in the charges against Ross.