A New York Police Department officer has been left with serious spinal injuries following a physical confrontation in Midtown Manhattan involving rapper Lil Tjay and members of his entourage, according to a lawsuit filed this week.
The lawsuit alleges that during an incident near Madison Square Garden, the officer was struck and forcefully thrown to the ground while attempting to intervene in a disturbance involving Tjay and several associates. As a result of the encounter, the officer sustained significant spinal damage that has required ongoing medical treatment.
Details in the legal filing describe the officer’s injuries as severe and life-altering, prompting both current and future claims for lost wages, medical expenses, and pain and suffering. The complaint names multiple individuals believed to have been involved in the confrontation and seeks damages under state injury law.
Sources familiar with the case say the events unfolded rapidly, with police responding to calls of a dispute near the arena. As officers sought to de-escalate the situation, one member of Tjay’s group allegedly engaged physically with law enforcement, leading to the officer’s fall and subsequent injury.
Lil Tjay’s camp has not publicly commented on the lawsuit, and it is unclear whether criminal charges have been filed in connection with the altercation. The NYPD has generally declined to discuss personnel injuries in active cases but confirmed that the officer remains on leave while receiving treatment.
The lawsuit underscores broader tensions that can arise when law enforcement interacts with high-profile individuals and their entourages, and it will likely proceed through civil court as both sides build their cases. The officer’s attorneys say they expect substantial evidence to support claims of negligence and intentional harm.