Rihanna shooting suspect's trial paused for mental competency evaluation
Los Angeles Judge Shannon K. Cooley halted the prosecution of 35‑year‑old Ivanna Ortiz, who is charged with attempting to murder Rihanna and partner A$AP Rocky by firing roughly 20 rounds from an AR‑15‑style rifle at their Beverly Hills home on March 8. No one was injured. Ortiz, a licensed speech‑pathologist from Orlando, has pleaded not guilty to one count of attempted murder, ten counts of assault with a semiautomatic firearm and three counts of shooting at an occupied dwelling.
Following a request from Ortiz’s public defender, the judge ordered a competency hearing and transferred the case to a Hollywood mental‑health court. A psychiatric evaluation will determine whether Ortiz can understand the proceedings; the hearing is set for June 2. If found incompetent, she could be confined to a state hospital until capable of standing trial. Ortiz remains in custody on nearly $2 million bail.
The suspension underscores the intersection of high‑profile criminal prosecution and mental‑health considerations in the California legal system.