Rapper Tory Lanez is recovering after a violent stabbing incident inside California Correctional Institution in Tehachapi, where he is currently serving a 10-year sentence for the 2020 shooting of Megan Thee Stallion.
Newly released footage, obtained exclusively by The Shade Room, shows inmate Santino Casio, 42, stabbing Lanez 14 times near a stairwell inside the facility. The video captures Lanez trying to flee, screaming for help as Casio repeatedly lunges at him. Still images reveal Lanez drenched in blood, visibly shaken.
The attack occurred around 7:20 a.m. on May 12, according to prison officials. Despite sustaining life-threatening injuries—including the collapse of both lungs—Lanez was stabilized at an external hospital and is now breathing on his own and reportedly in good spirits. His representatives confirmed his condition in a statement issued the same day.
Casio, already serving a life sentence for second-degree murder, has a history of violent incidents in prison. After the stabbing, he was placed in restricted housing pending investigation. Casio told investigators he acted in self-defense, claiming Lanez had put a “price on his head” and that he believed the rapper had a weapon in his pocket at the time of the attack.
He also noted that he and Lanez had previously had a “decent” relationship, further complicating the motive behind the assault.
The California Correctional Institution in Tehachapi houses around 1,700 inmates in both medium- and maximum-security levels. Located about 100 miles north of Los Angeles, the prison has previously been flagged for safety concerns and overcrowding.
Authorities have launched a formal investigation into the attack, and additional charges against Casio may be forthcoming. Meanwhile, Lanez’s legal team is expected to request enhanced security measures moving forward.
This incident adds another layer of controversy and concern to Lanez’s high-profile incarceration, and raises broader questions about inmate safety, even for those in high-profile cases.
