Controversial rapper Tekashi 6ix9ine has filed a lawsuit against the gym franchise where he was brutally assaulted by a group of men in 2023.
TMZ reports that 6ix9ine recently filed legal documents against LA Fitness, in which he is asking for over $1 million in damages over the gym's apparent failure to stop the assault. He claims that the gym did not have enough security to prevent such an attack, which alleged gang members of the Latin Kings carried out. He accused the company of not educating its staff about security protocols in the case of an attack, noting that they did not call the police fast enough.
6ix9ine is placing the blame for the attack on LA Fitness. In the documents, he said that the assault resulted in bodily injury, pain and suffering, disability, theft, humiliation, medical expenses, loss of income, and diminished quality of life. The three men involved in the attack—Rafael Medina, Octavious Medina, and Anthony Maldonado—were later arrested.
His attorney, Lance Lazzaro, told Complex in 2023 that he was "attacked in a sauna at a gym by three or four thugs who beat him up." At the time, 6ix9ine was accused of staging the attack to create another viral moment, which he denied.
"I think it was opportunistic, but again I’m not mad because I know in the streets there are no rules. I’m at a loss for words because they saw an opportunity and they took it," he said. "I can capitalize off of anything, I’m that talented. I don’t need to get beat up to sell a record."