A Bronx drill rapper who bragged about his “accurate aim” in music videos now faces attempted murder charges for shooting New York Jets cornerback Kris Boyd outside a Manhattan hotspot.
Frederick Green, who performs as Tbo Zay, appeared in Manhattan Criminal Court on Wednesday wearing an orange jumpsuit as prosecutors formally indicted him on multiple felony charges.
Tbo Zay faces one count of attempted murder in the second degree, one count of assault in the first degree, and two counts of criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg announced the charges during a press conference, calling the incident a “near-fatal shooting.”
The shooting happened around 2 A.M. outside Sei Less restaurant on West 38th Street. Boyd and teammates Jamien Sherwood and Irvin Charles had just left the upscale establishment when Tbo Zay’s crew started mocking their expensive clothing.
“There’s a group outside who begin to, their words, begin to ‘chirp them’ about the clothing that they’re wearing, and are asking them: ‘Do you think you’re better than us?’” NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny explained during a news briefing.
Boyd didn’t like the atmosphere inside the restaurant and only stayed about 10 minutes. When the Jets players walked back outside, the same group confronted them again with verbal insults that quickly escalated into violence.
Tbo Zay allegedly fired two shots during the confrontation. One bullet struck Boyd in the abdomen, traveled through his body, and lodged in his pulmonary artery before entering his lung. The 29-year-old cornerback was rushed to Bellevue Hospital in critical condition.
The rapper’s own lyrics may now serve as evidence against him in court. Three months before the shooting, Tbo Zay released a music video for his song “Mission,” where he rapped: “I get wavy…I go in the Beemer and I got accurate aim.”
Prosecutors noted that Tbo Zay fled the scene in a white BMW, matching the vehicle referenced in his lyrics.
Assistant District Attorney Sarah Csanadi revealed that surveillance footage captured Tbo Zay “before, during and after the shooting” without any mask or disguise. The entire incident was recorded on multiple cameras outside the restaurant.
After the shooting, Tbo Zay jumped into the white BMW and sped away from the scene. He then began a desperate three-week flight from authorities that took him to Buffalo, where he hid at his girlfriend’s apartment.
Boyd remains hospitalized two months after the shooting with ongoing complications from his injuries. According to the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, a bullet fragment entered Boyd’s vein and became lodged in his pulmonary artery before entering one of his lungs.
Tbo Zay was held without bail following his arraignment. His next court appearance is scheduled for February 15, where he will enter a formal plea to the charges.
District Attorney Bragg emphasized that gun violence has no place in Manhattan and expressed support for Boyd’s continued recovery from the shooting.
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