TI arrested at Atlanta airport due to mistaken identity

TI just wants to live his life, but a case of mistaken identity lands him in trouble with the law.

The Washington Post confirms that the 43-year-old rapper, whose birth name is Clifford Joseph Harris, Jr., was arrested on Sunday, August 4, at Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson Airport after law enforcement confused him with another man also named Clifford Harris.

An arrest warrant has been issued for another Clifford Harris in Baltimore, Maryland. Report from TMZThe outlet also said the man was wanted for alleged violence against women, stalking and incidents that may have involved firearms.

After being handcuffed at Hartsfield-Jackson Airport, TI was transported to the Clayton County Jail in Atlanta.

Because the warrant came from out of state, it automatically triggered an extradition hearing.

But before the extradition process could go any further, TI’s lawyer allegedly stepped in. According to TMZ , TI’s attorney, Steve Sadow, quickly called someone at the Clayton County Sheriff’s Office and released the rapper within two hours of arresting him.

The judge who presided over the extradition hearing reviewed TI’s case and immediately rejected the extradition order.

Part of the reason officers realized they had the wrong Clifford Harris may have been due to physical characteristics and traits. According to TMZ, Clifford Harris, who is wanted in Maryland, weighs 205 pounds, while TI weighs 165 pounds.

The Washington Post has contacted TI’s attorney for further comment.

TI has a deep connection to Atlanta. Born and raised in the Georgia capital, he is considered one of the pioneers of Trap music, along with other Georgia artists like Jeezy and Gucci Mane.

The rapper owns a restaurant in the city called The Trap City Cafe. Opening in 2022On Sunday, the same day he was wrongfully arrested, He posted a video on Instagram Promote the restaurant and invite people to come to the restaurant for brunch and dinner on Sunday Funday. It is not clear whether TI was at the cafe that day.

TI also had a run-in with the law in 2021 when he was arrested in Amsterdam after his bicycle collided with a police car. The “Live Your Life” hitmaker Posted a video on Instagram At the time he explained that he was only detained by police for 25 minutes.

Prior to this incident, TI was arrested in 2018 and charged with misdemeanor simple assault, disorderly conduct and public intoxication after a security guard refused to let him into his gated community.