On the night of May 25, 2016, Ronald McPhatter, a 33-year-old man, was fatally shot at the Irving Plaza concert venue in New York City. McPhatter, who worked as a bodyguard for rapper Troy Ave, was caught in the midst of a violent altercation that erupted in a green room area before a scheduled performance by the rapper T.I. The chaotic scene left three other people wounded, including Troy Ave himself.
In the immediate aftermath, law enforcement arrested Roland Collins, professionally
known as Troy Ave. Video surveillance from inside the venue appeared to show Collins firing a weapon. He was subsequently charged with attempted murder and criminal possession of a weapon. Collins maintained that he had wrestled the gun away from the initial shooter and acted in self-defense.
Further investigation into the shooting led to the arrest of Daryl Campbell, a media personality known as Taxstone. Prosecutors alleged that Campbell was the one who brought the gun into the concert hall and was the individual who fired the fatal shot that struck McPhatter. Campbell's DNA was reportedly found on the firearm.
Daryl Campbell was indicted on charges including second-degree murder for his role in Ronald McPhatter's death. While Troy Ave faced his own legal battles related to the incident, the focus of the murder investigation centered on Campbell. In March 2023, a jury found Campbell guilty of manslaughter in the first degree, two counts of assault in the first degree, one count of assault in the second degree, and two counts of criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree. Subsequently, he was sentenced to 35 years in prison for his crimes.
