Tia Kemp Reveals Terrifying Details of Son’s Alleged Gun Attack: “He Was Going to Kill My Son”

Tia Kemp is speaking out about a frightening incident involving her son, William Roberts III, whom she shares with rapper Rick Ross, revealing new details about an alleged armed confrontation that left her family shaken.

During an emotional appearance on former NFL quarterback Cam Newton’s “Funky Friday” podcast on Friday, November 13, Kemp described how her son allegedly found himself face-to-face with an armed man while spending time with a young woman near Bethune-Cookman University in Daytona Beach, Florida.

According to Kemp, William had been getting to know the woman for approximately one or two months. She explained that he had recently brought her backstage at his father’s homecoming concert at the university in September. Kemp believes the woman’s former boyfriend may have become jealous after seeing her with William.

The situation allegedly took a frightening turn on October 11, when William was standing outside with the woman and a female friend. Kemp said a vehicle suddenly pulled up, and a man got out and approached the group.

According to her account, the man initially confronted the young woman while holding a handgun. He then allegedly turned toward William and made a threatening remark, telling him that his father’s identity would not protect him.

Kemp said the man allegedly struck her son on the side of the head with the firearm.

What happened next, however, was what Kemp described as a decision that may have saved her son’s life.

Rather than fighting back or responding aggressively, William reportedly chose to remain calm and slowly back away from the armed individual. Kemp said her son later explained that he believed the man was waiting for him to react so he would have an excuse to shoot him.

She recalled her son’s explanation during the podcast, saying he understood that responding with aggression could have made the situation much more dangerous.

Kemp praised William for keeping his composure despite being threatened and physically attacked. She said she was grateful that he made the decision to walk away rather than escalate the confrontation.

According to police records cited by PEOPLE, William told investigators that the incident occurred near the intersection of McLeod Avenue and Weaver Street on October 11. The suspect was identified as 20-year-old Don Roberts III.

The police affidavit states that the suspect allegedly approached William while holding a tan handgun and threatened to kill him. William reported being struck on the right side of his head with the weapon.

Authorities said William initially did not report the incident because he was afraid. He later contacted police and was able to identify the alleged attacker through a photo lineup.

Don Roberts III was arrested on October 16 and charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon without the intent to kill and aggravated battery with a deadly weapon. He was subsequently released on a $50,000 bond and appeared in court on November 10.

During her podcast appearance, Kemp also questioned whether there could have been a larger motive behind the confrontation, suggesting that her son may have been deliberately targeted. However, she did not provide evidence establishing that anyone had arranged the alleged attack.

The incident also drew attention online after rapper 50 Cent shared the suspect’s mugshot on social media and appeared to make light of the situation by referring to it as a street fight. Kemp later criticized the post, expressing her displeasure with the decision to publicly share the image.

For Kemp, the most important thing is that her son made it out of the frightening encounter alive.

What began as an ordinary evening for a college student reportedly turned into a dangerous confrontation involving a firearm. As the legal process continues, Kemp’s account has brought renewed attention to the incident and the difficult decision her son made when faced with a potentially life-threatening situation.

The allegations remain subject to the legal process, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.