A kiddie birthday party erupted in deadly gunfire in Massachusetts over the weekend, leaving a rapper and another man dead and two more people critically wounded, cops said.
Benjamin Cowart, 27, was pronounced dead at the scene inside the Saint John the Baptist Club in Carver on Saturday, and local rap artist Jalen Pina, 20, died at a nearby hospital, according to Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy Cruz.
A 28-year-old male victim also was flown to a hospital in Boston by helicopter, while a 32-year-old injured man was transported to a hospital closer to the shooting. They were both listed in critical condition as of Saturday night, the Carver Journal reported.
The alleged gunman, 23-year-old Nicholas Meuse, was arrested shortly after fleeing the chaotic scene, the outlet said.
The Carver Police Department said they believe the shooting “was not a random act” and that Meuse was familiar with both dead victims, although it is unclear if they were the intended targets.
Cruz assured that there is “no ongoing threat” to the public.
Pina, an aspiring rap artist, performed under the stage name “Buku tensai,” meaning “a whole lot of greatness,” according to a GoFundMe organized by a family friend.
“Jalen was such a beautiful soul. A heart made of pure gold with a smile that could light up a room,” the organizer wrote.
Pina headlined at a small show in Boston just one day before he was killed, according to a post on his Instagram.
Cruz said police still aren’t sure how many shots the gunman fired or how many children were at the party.
In late November, three children and one young adult were killed in a mass shooting at a girl’s 2nd birthday party in California.
The gunman was reportedly targeting a rapper who was friends with the birthday girl’s parents. He was not caught in the crossfire and went into hiding.