Ross allegedly struck, strangled, and slammed a woman against a wall during an August 28 incident at his Star Island home, with police citing victim testimony, injury photos, and surveillance video. The 50-year-old rapper voluntarily surrendered Thursday and was released on $5,000 bond; his attorney claims allegations are false and asks the public to await trial proceedings.
Rick Ross arrested on felony strangulation charges in domestic violence case
A woman was allegedly struck multiple times, strangled, and slammed against a wall, suffering injuries including a busted lip during the August 28 incident.
I am totally innocent with these fabricated allegations
Mark
So he turned himself in voluntarily—does that suggest something about his legal strategy, or was he simply told to do it?
Mimi
The affidavit says he surrendered to detectives Thursday, but the woman didn't report the incident until September 29. So there was a month between the alleged incident and the report. His attorney's statement focuses on denying the allegations entirely, not on the timing or the surrender itself.
Luke
Right, and we should be clear: we don't know why he surrendered when he did. Was he contacted by police? Did his attorney advise it? The reporting doesn't say. What we do know is that he showed up and was booked.
Mark
The judge found probable cause based on the affidavit. What does that actually rest on?
Mimi
Three things, according to the police: the woman's sworn statement, timestamped photographs of her injuries, and surveillance video from the house. The officer said those three pieces of evidence established probable cause.
Luke
The photographs and video are physical evidence. The statement is her account. We're not told what the video actually shows—whether it shows the incident itself or just the friend arriving to pick her up. That matters for how strong the case is.
Mark
He's denying everything. Is there any indication of his version of events?
Mimi
Not in the reporting. He says the allegations are fabricated, but he hasn't described what actually happened that morning or why the woman would have injuries.
Luke
His attorney says "everything is going to come out" and asks people to wait for the process. That's a standard legal position—don't litigate in the press. But it means we don't have his account of the facts yet.
Mark
The stay-away order and the firearms prohibition—those are pretty serious conditions.
Mimi
They are. The judge issued them as conditions of his $5,000 bond. He can't contact her directly or indirectly, can't go near her home or workplace, and has to surrender any guns he owns.
Luke
Those are standard in domestic violence cases. They protect the alleged victim and remove access to weapons during the pendency of the case. But they don't prejudge guilt or innocence—they're precautionary.
Mark
What happens next?
Mimi
Arraignment on October 22. That's when he'll be formally read the charges and enter a plea. The case will move through the courts from there.
Luke
And between now and then, both sides will be preparing. Discovery will happen—his attorneys will see the evidence the state has. That's when we might learn more about what that surveillance video actually shows.
The Pulse
- Arrested Thursday on felony battery by strangulation and misdemeanor battery charges
- Alleged incident occurred August 28 at his Star Island mansion; reported to police September 29
- Released on $5,000 bond; arraignment scheduled for October 22
- Issued stay-away order and prohibited from possessing firearms pending trial
Ross allegedly struck, strangled, and slammed a woman against a wall during an August 28 incident at his Star Island home, with police citing victim testimony, injury photos, and surveillance video. The 50-year-old rapper voluntarily surrendered Thursday and was released on $5,000 bond; his attorney claims allegations are false and asks the public to await trial proceedings.
Rapper Rick Ross was arrested Thursday on felony battery by strangulation and misdemeanor battery charges stemming from an alleged August domestic violence incident at his Miami Beach mansion. He was released on $5,000 bond and denies all allegations.
William Leonard Roberts II, known to millions as the rapper Rick Ross, walked into Miami Beach Police headquarters on Thursday morning and surrendered himself to detectives. By 6:10 a.m., he was booked into the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center on one felony count of battery by strangulation and one misdemeanor count of battery. The charges stem from an alleged incident that unfolded at his Star Island mansion in late August—an incident that was not reported to police until September 29, more than a month later.
According to the arrest affidavit, Ross and the woman involved had been in a relationship for approximately a year and were living together at the time. On the morning of August 28, around 7:44 a.m., the woman told investigators that Ross woke her in an angry state. He had seen her tagged in a photo on Instagram and demanded to know if she was lying to him about her whereabouts. When she did not answer to his satisfaction, he slapped her across the face.
The altercation escalated as the morning wore on. Ross accused her of involvement with another person and followed her into a bathroom, where he struck her in the chest multiple times. He then grabbed the collar of her hoodie and twisted it, restricting her ability to breathe. The affidavit describes him seizing her by her ponytail, slamming her against the wall, and striking her in the face hard enough to split her lip. He pushed her to the floor and turned on the shower, attempting to spray her with the showerhead. She eventually managed to leave the bathroom, gather her belongings, and exit the house after he departed.
The woman provided detectives with a sworn statement and timestamped photographs documenting her injuries. Police reviewed surveillance footage from the residence that showed a friend arriving to pick her up—footage that Ross himself later posted to his Instagram account, according to the affidavit. The detective work was swift. Miami Beach Police Officer Chris Bess stated that investigators obtained the victim's account, the photographic evidence, and the video surveillance, which together established probable cause for the arrest. "Our detectives and our police department take allegations of domestic violence very seriously, which is why we acted swiftly," Bess said, "and the allegations are heinous."
Ross, who is 50 years old, appeared via Zoom in Miami-Dade bond court Thursday morning. Judge Mindy Glazer reviewed the arrest report, found probable cause, and set his bond at $4,000 on the felony strangulation charge and $1,000 on the misdemeanor battery charge, totaling $5,000. His attorney, Bradley Horenstein, asked that the release be expedited, noting his client's celebrity status. The judge also issued a stay-away order prohibiting Ross from any direct or indirect contact with the woman—through phone, social media, or third parties—and barring him from her home, workplace, or school. She ordered him to surrender any firearms and concealed weapons and prohibited him from possessing them while the case is pending.
Ross bonded out late Thursday morning. In a video posted to his Instagram Stories around noon, he declared himself "totally innocent of the fabricated allegations." His attorney echoed the denial, telling CBS News Miami that "the allegations are false" and urging the public not to rush to judgment. "Everything is going to come out," Horenstein said. "We just ask that you allow the process to play out before rushing to judgment, because the truth will come in."
Before leaving the courthouse, Ross declined to answer questions from reporters. He stated that he planned to travel to Dubai and Paris for performances over the weekend. Late Thursday night, as he headed to the airport, he posted another video: "It's been an extremely hell of a day, yet we got so much to be thankful for." His arraignment is scheduled for October 22. The 50-year-old Miami native, whose career has spanned two decades and produced hits like "Hustlin'," now faces the legal process with a prohibition on firearms, a stay-away order, and a court date that will determine what comes next.
Notable Quotes
Our detectives and our police department take allegations of domestic violence very seriously, which is why we acted swiftly, and the allegations are heinous.— Miami Beach Police Officer Chris Bess
The allegations are false. He's innocent. Everything is going to come out. We just ask that you allow the process to play out before rushing to judgment, because the truth will come in.— Bradley Horenstein, Ross's attorney
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