Michael Rainey Jr. is “deeply saddened and shocked” after suffering sexual violence during a live broadcast

Michael Rainey Jr. spoke out on Monday after suffering sexual assault during a live performance on TyTy James’ Twitch.

The “Power Book II: Ghost” actor was inappropriately kidnapped by James’ sister while appearing as a guest on the Twitch series. The 23-year-old, through his representative, issued a statement in regards to the incident, which was filmed and shared by viewers on X (Twitter).

Rainey is “deeply saddened and shocked by the events that occurred” during the weekend’s live broadcast, his representative said in a statement to People. “He’s still processing what happened and doesn’t quite know what to think about it,” the representative said.

“This situation is not taken lightly,” the statement continued. “Sexual harassment and assault are serious and unacceptable actions. Taking advantage of somebody’s fame in this manner degrades the worth of artists and emphasizes the necessity to respect their humanity. Those who entertain us are people, identical to everyone else.

In the video, Rainey may be seen talking to several other people within the group when James’ sister approaches and begins touching the actor without his consent. Rainey looks visibly uncomfortable and tries to dam her. The “Power” star reportedly left the live stream shortly after the incident.

He later addressed the assault in a post on his Instagram stories, per People. Rainey said he’s “still in shock” and “can’t take it lightly because I know I would be in real trouble if the roles were reversed.”

“This is an unfortunate situation that I cannot tolerate in any way,” he wrote on the social media platform. “The fact is that sexual assault is never okay, regardless of gender or status. We are all human and should respect each other. Most importantly, we should respect ourselves.”

Featured Stories

James apologized on his sister’s behalf, saying in a statement: “Following the events that occurred during my broadcast yesterday, I would like to sincerely apologize to Michael and his family for what occurred.”

“My little sister was completely wrong and out of line. What she did was very inappropriate and unacceptable. “I am truly embarrassed and disgusted by her behavior,” James wrote on Instagram. “I completely respect the direction Michael wants to take with this situation. After watching the clip, I was completely surprised by what she did (sic). I will take special precautions in future streams to avoid similar issues and have banned her from future streams. I do not tolerate any type of assault.”