Surveillance footage released this week appears to show rapper Troy Ave opening fire on a suspected robber during a dramatic confrontation outside the San Diego home of celebrity chef Geoff Cole. The incident, reportedly in mid-June, surfaced online on July 15 and has since gone viral across social media.
The footage reveals the events unfolding outside Cole’s residence in the San Diego area. Chef Geoff Cole arrived home in a Bentley, with Troy Ave stepping out from the passenger side. As the two men approached the garage, a would-be robber emerged from an alley and charged toward Cole. The suspect appeared to fumble with what looked like a weapon, prompting Troy Ave to draw his handgun and fire at least two rounds while chasing the suspect back into the alley. It remains unclear whether any shots struck the fleeing individual.
The event occurred shortly after the two men had been celebrating the success of Chef Fest, a major culinary event held in San Diego the previous month. Cole, a well-known figure in the city’s food scene and Admiral’s Experience Inc. operator, took to Instagram to commend Troy Ave’s actions.
“s/o 2 my BROTHER Ave for Holding it Down in a situation where most woulda RAN or FOLDED,”
Cole wrote.
In the same post, Cole also hinted at prior threats, adding,
“I came home after Celebrating the success of a sold out Chef Fest with Love & Support from all over the West Coast! And a hater from the SAME CITY tried 2 take it all away! This is the 2nd time but it WON’T be a 3rd!”
This latest incident adds a new chapter to Troy Ave’s contentious legal history. The rapper was previously at the center of a 2016 shooting at Irving Plaza in New York City that left his bodyguard, Ronald “Banga” McPhatter, dead. Troy Ave was initially charged with attempted murder and weapons possession. However, after testifying against rival podcaster Daryl “Taxstone” Campbell—who was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to 35 years in 2023—he accepted a plea deal, serving about six months of a one-year sentence before his release in August 2024.
Troy Ave and his representatives have not issued any statements regarding the San Diego shooting, and local police have yet to confirm whether an investigation is underway or if any charges are being considered.
Chef Geoff Cole has publicly credited Troy Ave with protecting him during what appears to be an attempted robbery. Still, the legal consequences of the shooting remain uncertain pending further investigation.
