Prosecutors say Ivanna Ortiz intended to kill Rihanna when she allegedly opened fire on the singer’s multimillion-dollar Los Angeles mansion and a trailer parked in the driveway.
“This is a person who wanted to kill Rihanna. Everyone else was collateral damage,” Deputy District Attorney Alexander Bott told reporters outside a downtown courtroom Wednesday after Ortiz’s grand jury indictment was made public.
The indictment contains 10 enhanced charges, including allegations of assault with a semiautomatic weapon and assault with an assault weapon.
According to Bott, the 36-year-old suspect allegedly acquired the assault weapon in Florida, where it was registered in her name.
Ortiz appeared in court Wednesday wearing a yellow jumpsuit, with her hands restrained and long blond bangs falling across her face. Through her attorney, she pleaded not guilty to every charge.
Her bail was increased to $2.65 million. Ortiz is scheduled to return to court Oct. 29 and answered “yes” when asked whether she accepted the date.
The indictment was unsealed after a four-month delay prompted by a judge’s concerns over Ortiz’s mental competency.
Ortiz is accused of firing a high-powered rifle from her Tesla at Rihanna’s home on March 8.
Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman said bullets also struck an Airstream trailer in the driveway, where Rihanna and her husband, A$AP Rocky, were located at the time.
The couple’s three children — RZA, Riot and Rocky, who are 4, 3 and 1 — were inside the main residence with Rihanna’s mother when the shooting occurred.
Police said Ortiz, who was alone in the vehicle, fled the scene before officers pulled her over roughly three miles away in Sherman Oaks, a San Fernando Valley neighborhood.
Authorities later recovered an assault-style rifle from the vehicle, linking the weapon to the suspect, officials said.
Prosecutor Alexander Bott said Ortiz had ammunition and a disguise, was captured on surveillance footage, allegedly planned the attack and fired 20 rounds toward the residence while children were inside.
The gunfire shook the usually secluded celebrity neighborhood, known for its multimillion-dollar homes and extensive private security. In the aftermath, Rihanna and her family left the mansion and departed Los Angeles on a private jet.
After the alleged attack, Ortiz posted a series of disturbing videos that appeared to outline an unusual motive.
In several clips shared on her YouTube channel, Ortiz accused Rihanna of “stealing” from her and being “jealous.” She also described the singer as a “witch” with a “devil’s face.”
The charges include attempted murder with special allegations, 10 counts of assault with a semiautomatic firearm with special allegations, and three counts of shooting into an inhabited dwelling or vehicle.
Hochman said Ortiz could face life in prison if convicted on all counts. The alleged shooter’s bail was previously reported at just over $1.8 million before it was raised to $2.65 million.
