Rihanna Thanks Fans as LAPD Investigates Leaked Photo

Rihanna has made her first statement since her boyfriend, Chris Brown, was arrested on the night of the Grammys. She did not address Brown's arrest or the accusations against him, but thanked her fans for their support.

"At the request of the authorities, Rihanna is not commenting about the incident involving Chris Brown," read a statement. "She wants to assure her fans that she remains strong, is doing well, and deeply appreciates the outpouring of support she has received during this difficult time."

The artist's statement comes just as Los Angeles police are investigating whether a photo of a battered woman reported to be her came from within their own department, police confirm to TVGuide.com.
The graphic image shows a close-up of a woman's face with her eyes closed, contusions on both sides of the forehead, and bruises and cuts on the lips and cheeks. The Roman numeral tattoos on her left shoulder appear identical to Rihanna's.
Rihanna's boyfriend, Brown, was accused of attacking a woman and arrested the night of the Grammys on Feb. 8. Police have not released the name of the woman, though, several media outlets, citing anonymous sources, have identified her as Rihanna, who turned 21 on Friday.
Officer Julianne Sohn told TVGuide.com the department also cannot identify the woman in the photo because police do not know its origin. The LAPD said in a statement that it immediately opened an investigation Thursday evening after receiving numerous inquiries about the photo posted by TMZ.
"The photograph has the appearance of one taken during an official domestic violence investigation," the LAPD said. "The Los Angeles Police Department takes seriously its duty to maintain the confidentiality of victims of domestic violence. The department launched an immediate internal investigation and subsequently filed a personnel complaint."
"A violation of this type is considered serious misconduct, with penalties up to and including termination," the statement said.
Brown was booked on suspicion of making felony criminal threats and released on $50,000 bail. In a statement Sunday, Brown said he was "sorry and saddened" about what transpired. He did not offer details.
The R&B singer has not been charged. The Los Angeles District Attorney's Office sent the case back to police for further investigation.
"At this point, it's been sent back for further investigation and we're not expecting it back at least for the rest of this week," D.A. spokeswoman Shiara Davila-Morales told TVGuide.com.