T.I. Arrested in Atlanta Before BET Hip Hop Awards

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Atlanta rapper T.I. was arrested just hours before taping the BET Hip Hop Awards. T.I. (born Clifford Harris) was not arrested at his home, but later picked up at a Walgreens parking lot where he was taken into custody, along with his long-time girlfriend Tameka “Tiny” Cottle and rappers Mac Boney and Young Dro, who records for T.I.’s Grand Hustle record label. 

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) arrested T.I. in Atlanta on multiple weapons charges, after they say he had a bodyguard try to buy machine guns and silencers without registering it, as required by law. The dealer reports the incident to ATF agents, who give the dealer the cell phone number of an undercover ATF agent, posing as a machine gun dealer, to pass along to the bodyguard. The bodyguard calls the number within hours.

Oct. 10: Harris arranges for the bodyguard to pick up $12,000 in
cash from his bank on Northside Parkway to buy the weapons. Later, the bodyguard meets with the undercover agent at a K-Mart store, 5997 Buford Highway, Doraville. The bodyguard gives the agent $2,200 and a .223-caliber pistol in exchange for three 9mm machine guns and two 9mm silencers. The bodyguard is then arrested. He tells agents he was buying the guns for Harris. He also says he has purchased about 25 firearms over the past 18 months for Harris and others. ATF agents confirm the purchases.

Oct. 11: After agreeing to cooperate with the ATF, the bodyguard
makes a monitored phone call to Harris. He tells Harris that he has
"everything for you."

Oct. 12: Harris calls his bodyguard and arranges for him to deliver
the firearms the next day.

Oct. 13, between 12:30 and 1 p.m.: Harris calls the bodyguard and
asks him to bring the items to a recording studio. At the direction of
ATF agents, the bodyguard suggests that they instead meet at a shopping center parking lot at the corner of Piedmont and North avenues in Atlanta.

2:22 p.m.: Harris arrives at the parking lot. The bodyguard gets
into Harris' vehicle and shows him the machine guns and silencers. When the bodyguard explains the function of one silencer, Harris says, "No flash, no bang." Harris also asks about ammunition, the capacity of the magazine and about "change left over" from the $12,000. Authorities then move in and arrest Harris without incident. A search of his vehicle uncovers three firearms, including one tucked between the driver's seat and the center console.

2:40 p.m.: ATF agents begin searching Harris's home in College Park. They find three rifles, two pistols and a revolver in a walk-in closet in his bedroom. Five of the firearms are loaded.

Monday October 15: Harris, held in federal custody over the weekend, and was denied bond this afternoon during a brief appearance in federal court.

T.I  stood in hand cuffs with his legs chained as a federal magistrate ruled that the rapper must remain in custody for now. Federal prosecutors are asking that he stay behind bars until his trial, which could be several months away, according to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

A hearing will be held on Friday (October 19) to decide whether there was probable cause for T.I.'s arrest and whether he will qualify for bond before trial.

The hearing was packed with spectators and late-comers were made to stand outside the courtroom. Tip sat in front with family members during the hearing.