"The man who allegedly stabbed Tory Lanez believed the artist was targeting him for death."

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The inmate accused of stabbing Tory Lanez multiple times claims he acted in self-defense, believing the rapper was out to kill him. According to the attacker, Tory had allegedly placed a bounty on his head.

We spoke with Santino Casio during a prison phone call. Casio, already serving a life sentence when the incident occurred, admits to the stabbing but insists there's more to the story.

Casio explained that he had heard through prison rumors that Tory wanted him dead. Soon after, he encountered Tory and noticed what he believed was a weapon in the rapper’s pocket.

Fearing for his life, Casio says he acted first — attacking Tory and stabbing him 14 times. Despite the violence, Casio insists his intent wasn’t to kill.

He shared that the attack came as a shock, considering he and Tory once had a cordial relationship while housed in neighboring cells at the California Correctional Institution in Tehachapi.

Casio also claims he didn’t come out of the altercation unscathed, saying he sustained a stab wound to his leg — which, to him, confirms Tory had a weapon.

When asked if he regrets what happened, Casio expressed mild remorse, though he stopped short of a full apology.

As previously reported, Tory Lanez was stabbed seven times in the back, four times in the torso, and three times in the head earlier this month. He was hospitalized but has since returned to prison.

Tory has received an outpouring of support following the incident, including from Drake and Congresswoman Anna Paulina Luna. Both have appealed to California Governor Gavin Newsom, urging a pardon for Tory related to the 2020 shooting involving Megan Thee Stallion.

In a statement, Tory's legal team condemned the attack, calling it “brutal and vicious” and emphasizing the serious danger Tory faces behind bars. They dismissed Casio’s version of events as false and outrageous, pointing to his life sentence for violent crimes as a reason to question his credibility.

The team also reiterated Tory’s claim of innocence and called for his immediate release, describing his continued imprisonment as a grave injustice and a threat to his life.