Rapper A$AP Rocky has been charged with assault by a Swedish prosecutor on Thursday. Photo by Keizo Mori/UPI |
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July 25 (UPI) -- Rapper A$AP Rocky has been charged with assault and will remain in Swedish custody until the trial, authorities said Thursday.
Rocky, 30, has been in jail since he was arrested July 3 in connection to an alleged assault that occurred June 30 in central Stockholm.
Two other men have also been charged for their roles in the alleged fight, the Swedish Prosecution Authority said.
Rocky and the two individuals were initially held on suspicion of aggravated assault and the Stockholm District Court decided to keep them in custody July 5 on suspicion of assault causing actual bodily harm.
"I have today commenced criminal proceedings against the three individuals suspected of assault causing actual bodily harm, having come to the conclusion that the events in question constitute a crime and despite claims of self-defense and provocation," said public prosecutor Daniel Sunseon of the City Public Prosecution Office.
Rocky, whose real name is Rakim Mayers, was arrested after video footage surfaced of him allegedly participating in a fight.
On July 3, Rocky posted to Instagram two videos of the purported incident, showing him and his entourage attempting to deal with two individuals who appear to be following them.
In the videos, the rapper repeatedly tells the young men to leave him alone. At one point, one of the men then hits a member of Rocky's entourage with a pair of headphones.
His lawyer, Slobodan Jovicic, said Rocky was defending himself after, CNN reported.
Sunseon said that he has studied the videos but "it is worth noting that I have had access to a greater amount of material than that which has previously been available on the internet."
"In addition to video material, the injured party's statements have been supported by witness statements," he said.
The charges come after U.S. President Donald Trump said he spoke with the Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven about Rocky.
"I assured him that A$AP was not a flight risk and offered to personally vouch for his bail," the president said in a tweet on Saturday.