‘Outrageous’: DaBaby just got sued for allegedly slapping a woman at his Tampa show
This story just gets more complicated by the day.
Last weekend, DaBaby found himself in hot water yet again after a video made the rounds showing the rapper slapping a woman at his Tampa show Saturday night.
In a clip provided to TMZ, you see the “Bop” singer walking through the crowd to the stage at Whiskey North bar, then smacking a woman who was holding a phone camera near his face.
The patron’s face is not seen in the footage but a Tampa woman named Tyronesha Laws later filed an incident report with the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, accusing the rapper of attacking her at the club.
After fans’ backlash, DaBaby issued an apology on Instagram, saying he felt disrespected and thought he was hitting a man.
“I do sincerely apologize,” he said. “I do, I’m very sorry that there was a female on the other end of that flashlight on that phone.”
But Laws lawyered up, regardless, saying she wasn’t even the person who was flashing her phone.
The Florida woman enlisted the services of Morgan & Morgan personal injury lawyers, famed for their ubiquitous TV ads, and filed a lawsuit against the rapper on Thursday.
“The incident was outrageous and shocking,” the law firm said in a statement sent to The Miami Herald. “We have requested a jury trial and look forward to presenting all of the surrounding circumstances to a jury of our client’s peers. Our goal is to deter similar conduct in the future and send a message that this type of behavior is not tolerated in America.”
The suit claims that Laws is suffering from physical and mental anguish and sought treatment for a contusion on her cheek. She is seeking $30,000 in damages.
“As a direct and proximate result of DaBaby’s actions, inactions, and battery, Plaintiff suffered injuries in about her face and head; incurred medical expenses for the treatment of those injuries; has incurred pain and suffering; and suffered extreme mental and emotional distress in the past, and will continue to suffer severe mental and emotional distress in the future,” reads the suit.
Laws also says she has received threats on the Internet from DaBaby’s fans.
“Further, Plaintiff has received and continues to receive social media threats from others as a result of this incident, which has also caused extreme mental and emotional distress, and will continue to cause mental and emotional distress in the future.”
Rapper DaBaby released from jail after punching his promoter in the face, authorities say
This is hardly DaBaby’s first brush with the Florida legal system.
Most recently, back in January, the 28 year old was arrested on a battery charge for allegedly punching a music promoter and dousing him with apple juice, police say. A judge ordered the North Carolina native to stay away the site of the scuffle, Brickell’s Novotel Hotel.
DaBaby has not responded to the most recent suit.
