Cassie Ventura breaks silence after Diddy assault video surfaces

Publish date: 2024-07-24

LOS ANGELES (TND) — Cassie Ventura is speaking out against domestic violence less than a week after security footage of her appearing to be punched, kicked and dragged by Sean "Diddy" Combs in a hotel hallway was made public.

Ventura broke her silence by sharing a statement on Instagram Thursday morning. She expressed gratitude to loved ones and fans for helping her through some of the hardest times of her life.

Thank you for all the love and support from my family, friends, strangers and those I have yet to meet," she wrote. The outpouring of love has created a place for my younger self to settle and feel safe now, but this is only the beginning. Domestic Violence is THE issue. It broke me down to someone I never thought I would becomes. With a lot f hard work, I am better today, but I will always be recovering from my past.

Ventura also said she appreciates everyone who "has taken the time to take this matter seriously" and urged people to listen to domestic assault victims when they open up about abuse they've endured.

"It takes a lot of heart to tell the truth out of a situation that you were powerless in," she wrote. "I offer my hand to those that are still living in fear. Reach out to your people, don't cut them off. no one should carry this weight alone. This healing journey is never ending, but this support means everything to me."

Tensions have been rising after the footage surfaced on Friday. In the video which was obtained and released by CNN, Diddy appears to attack Ventura, then-girlfriend.

In an apology video, Diddy said he was "truly sorry" and his actions were "inexcusable."

I take full responsibility for my actions in that video. I was disgusted then when I did it. I'm disgusted now," the music mogul said in the video posted Sunday to Instagram and Facebook.

He added that he is "committed to being a better man each and every day. I'm not asking for forgiveness."

Hip-hop star Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson and pop star Aubrey O'Day -- who both previously worked alongside Diddy in the music industry -- aren't buying it. They criticized Diddy in their own social media posts.

This is not going to work," 50 Cent wrote on X Sunday afternoon, just hours after Diddy posted the apology on social media. "Who is advising him right now? SMH bad move."

O'Day also shared her feelings about Diddy's apology. She said he didn't seem to seek forgiveness from Ventura, but rather from the public.

In O'Day's post, she included a screenshot of Diddy's previous assertion that he was innocent.

Diddy did not apologize to Cassie. He apologized to the world for seeing what he did," O'Day wrote on X. "He says he's 'disgusted w himself now, and he was disgusted w himself then' ... but apparently he wasn’t disgusted enough w himself to not PIN this statement out calling her a liar & denying all of it.. leave god and mercy out of this, they aren’t present here, and you know it."

Celebrities weren't the only ones commenting about the hotel footage.

The Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office in an Instagram post said while it is aware of the footage that shows the attack and finds "the images extremely disturbing and difficult to watch," there is nothing it can do about it.

"If the conduct depicted occurred in 2016, unfortunately we would be unable to charge as the conduct would have occurred beyond the timeline where a crime of assault can be prosecuted," the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office noted in the post. "As of today, law enforcement has not presented a case related to the attack depicted in the video against Mr. Combs, but we encourage anyone who has been a victim or witness to a crime to report it to law enforcement or reach out to our office for support from our Bureau of Victims Services."

According to 50 Cent, "they know they can’t charge him with what we saw, but they know we can’t un see [sic] what we saw."

The news comes nearly two months after federal authorities raided at least two of his homes as he faces a slew of accusations, including sex trafficking and sexual assault.

Diddy, who is the founder of Bad Boy Records and a three-time Grammy winner, previously denied the accusations.

For the last couple of weeks, I have sat silently and watched people try to assassinate my character, destroy my reputation and my legacy," Combs wrote on Instagram in December. "Sickening allegations have been made against me by individuals looking for a quick payday. Let me be absolutely clear: I did not do any of the awful things being alleged. I will fight for my name, my family and for the truth."

Amid the allegations, New York Mayor Eric Adams reportedly said he is looking into rescinding a key to the city that was previously bestowed to Diddy.

"I think all of us were deeply disturbed by watching that chilling video of the young lady being assaulted by him," the mayor told PIX11, adding that a key has never been rescinded before and a committee is investigating. “We are taking everything under analysis, and the team will come back to me with final determination."

Meanwhile, 50 Cent said he sold a multi-part docuseries about the allegations lodged against Diddy to a major streaming app.

NETFLIX wins the bidding war but if more victims keep coming out I’m gonna need more episodes," 50 Cent wrote on X Tuesday.

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EDITOR'S NOTE: The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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