A Los Angeles judge has suspended the criminal proceedings against Ivanna Ortiz, the woman charged in the shooting outside Rihanna’s residence, after concerns emerged about her mental fitness to stand trial.
Judge Shannon Cooley halted the attempted murder case following a private discussion with a public defender and determined there was sufficient evidence to question Ortiz’s competency, according to a court source cited by Rolling Stone.
Authorities allege Ortiz fired about 20 rounds from a semi-automatic rifle at Rihanna’s home, forcing the singer to shove her husband, A$AP Rocky, to the ground for protection.
Ortiz is now expected to undergo an evaluation through Los Angeles County’s mental health court system to determine whether she is capable of understanding the legal proceedings against her.
The decision reversed the judge’s position from the previous week, when a similar request had been rejected because the court said there was not yet enough evidence to overrule Ortiz’s wish to proceed to trial.
Ortiz was not present in court when the latest ruling was issued.
She has entered not guilty pleas to one count of attempted murder, 10 counts of assault with a semiautomatic firearm, and three counts related to shooting at an inhabited dwelling.
Prosecutors say Ortiz traveled to Rihanna’s Los Angeles property on March 8 and opened fire while the home was occupied by the singer, A$AP Rocky, their three children, and Rihanna’s mother.
During an earlier hearing, Deputy District Attorney Alexander Bott described the gunfire as “an extremely dangerous deliberate shooting in occupied homes.”
Bott told the court the shooting continued for several seconds and had the potential to kill people inside the residence.
