Police Link Rapper Rod Wave to Shooting Investigation

Photo Coutesy: Manatee County Sheriff's Office

Rapper Rod Wave, born Rodarius Marcell Green, was arrested Wednesday in Manatee County in connection with a Sunday night shooting that injured four people. Green, 25, faces two counts of illegally possessing a firearm or ammunition as a convicted felon, according to Manatee County booking records.

The arrest is part of an ongoing St. Petersburg Police Department investigation into a shooting outside Sonic Sports Bar and Lounge. Four people sustained minor injuries in the incident.

The exact nature of Green’s charges remains unclear. A St. Petersburg Police news conference Wednesday did not reveal the circumstances leading to his arrest, but authorities linked the case to the shooting.

During the conference, St. Petersburg police refrained from disclosing further details. However, the investigation led authorities to two residences associated with suspects in the shooting, both connected to Green or one of his business ventures.

A SWAT team executed a search warrant at one of the residences on Monday evening, resulting in the arrest of two individuals on drug and weapons charges. Despite the operation, the shooters remained at large until Wednesday, when three additional arrests were made in connection with the shooting: Kevontre Wesby, 20; Keith Wesby, 21; and Christopher Atkins, 24.

The investigation yielded significant evidence, including multiple firearms, ammunition, cash exceeding $10,000, and various items of jewelry. Authorities have been investigating a violent group known as the "YG's" or "Young Gangsters" since March 2022, connecting several members to Green since the summer of 2023.

St. Petersburg Assistant Police Chief Mike Kovacsev emphasized the association between Green and the suspects, highlighting shared residences and vehicles. However, authorities have yet to determine Green's involvement in the shooting incident.

"We don’t know if he was there that evening when shots were fired. We don’t know if he had anything to do with it at that point," Kovacsev stated. "It’s more of a fact that you have vehicles, you have residences, you have a complacency. You’re complicit, and we can’t ignore it."

Green has a history of legal issues, including a 2022 arrest on domestic battery charges in Pinellas County, which were later dropped. He rose to prominence in 2020 with his hit song "Heart on Ice," which garnered attention on TikTok and charted on the Billboard Hot 100. Green has maintained ties to his community in St. Petersburg, at times making headlines for philanthropic efforts such as providing $25,000 worth of free gas to residents in 2022.