Natania Reuben, a woman who claims she was shot in the face by Sean “Diddy” Combs in 1999 is calling for the case to be reopened, despite Combs being acquitted in 2001. Reuben insists that she saw Combs pull out a gun and shoot her directly, resulting in her sustaining nine bullet fragments in her face. This call for the case to be reopened comes after producer Rodney “Lil Rod” Jones filed a lawsuit against Diddy, accusing him of sexually assaulting and harassing him, as well as operating a racketeering enterprise. Jones claims that Diddy admitted to being responsible for the shooting at a New York City nightclub.
The shooting in question occurred on December 27, 1999, at Club New York, where three bystanders, including Reuben, were injured. Following the incident, Diddy’s bodyguard, Anthony “Wolf” Jones, rapper Jamal “Shyne” Barrow, and singer-actor Jennifer Lopez, Diddy’s girlfriend at the time, were arrested. Shyne was sentenced to 10 years on multiple charges, while Diddy and his bodyguard were acquitted. Despite the outcome of the trial, recent lawsuits and testimonies have brought the case back into the spotlight.
Lil Rod’s lawsuit is one of several that have been filed against Diddy in recent months. Allegations of sexual assault, rape, and abuse have been made by several women against Diddy and other men in his circle, including record executive Harve Pierre and singer Aaron Hall. Diddy has denied these claims, but the fallout has resulted in the cancellation of a reality show featuring him and his family, as well as his resignation as chairman of Revolt, a media company.
The federal investigation into Diddy has heightened with the search of his homes in Los Angeles and Miami by Homeland Security Investigations. Reuben expressed hope that justice will finally be served and that her claims, along with those of other victims, will be taken seriously. Despite Diddy’s denial of responsibility for the shooting for the past 25 years, Reuben believes that reopening the case could bring closure and justice to all those affected by the events of that fateful night in 1999.
