Pop star Rihanna was allegedly attacked at her home on Sunday by a rifle-wielding Christian influencer who had previously threatened her online.
“Rihanna's alleged shooter is a Christian influencer who made a twisted threat against the singer days before her rifle attack,” Radar Online reported. Ivanna Ortiz, who was previously arrested in Florida for domestic violence, careless driving and violating pretrial release conditions, first threatened Rihanna on Facebook on Feb. 23rd.
Ortiz, who is facing an attempted murder charge, wrote: "@badgalriri Are you there?” She then continued, "Cause I was waiting for your AIDS 5-head self to say something to me directly instead of sneaking around like you talking to me where I'm not at." On previous occasions, Ortiz blasted Rihanna as a "turn hiding b — —."
On Sunday, Ortiz allegedly pulled up outside Rihanna’s Beverly Hills mansion on Sunday in a white Tesla, pulled out a rifle and fired roughly 10 shots in the direction of Rihanna’s residence. Although Rihanna was home at the time, according to reports she “didn’t know too much” about the shooting as it transpired.
Ortiz, a former pageant contestant who won Miss Teen Illinois Latina Princess in 2006, runs a program on YouTube called "Praying Woman's Journal.”
Rihanna has previously experienced tragedy in her personal life from domestic abusers. In the late 2000s, Rihanna had a well-publicized break up with her physically abusive then-boyfriend, fellow pop star Chris Brown, who repeatedly beat, punched, choked and bit her. It took Rihanna multiple attempts to permanently leave Brown.
Rihanna has also not hesitated to make her views known on the Christian right. In 2018, she issued a cease-and-desist to President Donald Trump for using her song “Don’t Stop The Music” without her permission at a campaign event. In 2011, meanwhile, Rihanna abruptly cancelled at a South Florida fundraiser where she was scheduled to perform for Trump at the height of his spreading racist conspiracy theories about President Barack Obama. Despite claiming to have been sick, Rihanna took the stage at halftime of the NBA All-Star Game 24 hours after she cancelled on Trump.
“I thought that (Rihanna bailing) was insulting to everyone,” Trump told the Palm Beach Post at the time. "But for Rihanna to go to the (NBA) All-Star game and perform after she told us she was sick, that is just a lack of respect."