Brooklyn rapper Troy Ave was allegedly a hero when he seemingly disrupted a robbery in June by shooting at the assailant. However, a closer look at the details reveals that the entire incident may have been staged.

On Tuesday (July 15), TMZ reported that, while in San Diego, Troy Ave had fended off a gunman attempting to rob his friend by firing on him with a gun. The friend in jeopardy was celebrity chef Geoff Cole.

In a video of the alleged shooting, the supposed assailant is seen running up on Cole. They seemingly fumble with a firearm before Troy Ave reaches for his own gun, letting off a couple of shots and chasing the person off. Cole took to Instagram to salute the Bricks In My Backpack rapper, noting that the incident actually occurred back in June after Chef Fest.

However, the story has not held up under scrutiny, apparently. On Wednesday (July 16), TMZ reported that the shootout was staged for “social media clout.” According to “sources” who are connected to Cole and Troy Ave, everything in the video was staged and the latter didn’t fire live rounds. Also, San Diego County authorities reportedly told the publication that there are no records of a robbery attempt or shooting involving either Cole or Troy Ave.

Back in 2016, Troy Ave was part of a very real shooting that involved podcaster Taxstone. The incident, which occurred inside New York City’s Irving Plaza, led to his arrest for attempted murder and weapon possession. In August 2024, he was released after serving six months of a one-year sentence for his involvement.

So far, it’s radio silence from both Troy and Cole, but the video is still up on the latter’s Instagram account.