Rapper Tory Lanez is recovering after being stabbed multiple times inside a California prison, in a violent attack that his assailant now claims was carried out in self-defense. The man behind the stabbing, identified as Santino Casio, is already serving a life sentence and has come forward in a prison phone interview to explain his actions.
Casio admitted to stabbing Lanez 14 times but insists the assault wasn’t unprovoked. “I heard Tory put a price on my head,” Casio said. “When I saw a lump in his pocket, I thought it was a weapon.” Fearing for his life, he says, he struck first.
The attack left Lanez with seven stab wounds to the back, four to the torso, and three to the head. He was rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment and has since returned to the prison facility. Casio claims he was also injured during the confrontation, suffering a stab wound to his leg — which he alleges supports his belief that Lanez was armed. However, prison officials have not confirmed that Tory had a weapon.
Before the incident, the two inmates reportedly had a “cool” relationship and were housed in neighboring cells. Despite the brutal nature of the assault, Casio’s tone during the interview was more reflective than remorseful. He expressed slight regret but stopped short of issuing an apology.
Tory Lanez’s legal team has raised urgent concerns about his safety behind bars. “The recent attempt on his life was savage and ferocious,” a spokesperson said. “Tory faces a clear and present danger in prison. His continued confinement is a miscarriage of justice and a threat to his safety.”
The incident has reignited public calls for clemency. Supporters, including rapper Drake and U.S. Representative Anna Paulina Luna, have urged California Governor Gavin Newsom to pardon Lanez for his 2020 conviction in the shooting of rapper Megan Thee Stallion.
As the investigation continues, the stabbing highlights broader concerns about inmate safety and raises the pressing question: Can Tory Lanez survive his sentence?
