A Michigan rapper is now facing a stiff new charge in Harris County after court records say an April shooting inside a busy Upper Kirby restaurant left Baton Rouge artist Ben Anthony Fields, better known as NBA Ben10, paralyzed from the waist down. Investigators say the gunfire at Confessions on April 8 injured multiple people, and medical notes in the case describe a spinal injury that took away feeling in Fields' lower body. Records later reviewed by reporters say doctors are expecting what they call "irreversible paralysis" of his lower extremities.
Harris County court filings show 36-year-old Jeremy Christopher Ford, who performs under the name AllStar JR, is charged with aggravated assault causing a traumatic brain or spine injury, according to FOX 26 Houston. The station and other local outlets report that the upgraded state charge comes on the heels of an earlier federal indictment that accuses Ford of unlawfully having a gun during the confrontation.
How investigators say the shooting unfolded
Houston police say the violence started after a confrontation on April 8 in which a group allegedly tried to yank a man's chains, then tackled him, causing a gun to hit the floor during the struggle, according to the Houston Chronicle. Investigators allege Ford grabbed the dropped pistol and began firing as people ran for the exits, wounding at least two patrons and hitting a third person. Surveillance footage and court records cited in coverage say he later came back and shot one victim at close range. The owner of Confessions told reporters the restaurant is reassessing its safety protocols in the wake of the shootout.
Federal indictment and social posts cited by investigators
Federal filings and local reporting say Ford was arrested in Detroit and federally charged earlier this month with being a felon in possession of a firearm, after investigators flagged social media clips and a music video that appear to reference the shooting. According to Click2Houston, Houston police interviewed Ford after his arrest and records state he allegedly admitted to the shooting. A federal magistrate ordered that he remain in custody. Prosecutors also allege Ford hid the weapon behind a hostess stand before leaving the scene in an Escalade.
Legal implications
The new Harris County case, listed in court paperwork as aggravated assault causing traumatic brain or spine injury, is categorized as a serious felony under Texas law, according to the Texas Penal Code. Aggravated assault is typically a second-degree felony that can bring 2 to 20 years in prison and up to $10,000 in fines, with sentencing ranges laid out in Section 12.33. Prosecutors could seek different penalties depending on the evidence and any sentencing enhancements they present to a judge or jury.
What’s next
Officials have not yet said when Ford will be brought to Harris County for a state court appearance, and they told reporters the timing will depend on how the federal case and local filings move forward, according to Click2Houston. Family members and associates have taken to social media to update followers on Fields' condition, and his shooting is the latest in a series of high-profile incidents around hospitality hotspots that has renewed scrutiny of security at Upper Kirby venues.
