Rihanna Shares Tribute to Late Cousin 4 Years After He Was Murdered
Rihanna is still mourning the loss of her late cousin, Tavon Kaiseen Alleyne. Four years after Alleyne was shot and killed, the Grammy-winning hitmaker took to social media to share an emotional tribute to her cousin. In the post shared to Instagram, Rihanna shared several throwback photos of herself and Alleyne as she wrote, "miss you and dat smile cuz." She added the hashtag "Tavon."
Shared on Sunday, Dec. 26, the post drew a flurry of messages from the singer's friends and fans. As several offered responses of praying hands and heart emojis, one person commented on the post, "god Bless you and your family. He's one of the angels covering your family." Somebody else wrote, "may he continue to rest peacefully," with a third person adding that they were sending Rihanna and her family "love" as they continue to grieve Alleyne's tragic passing.
The Sunday post came exactly four years to the day that Alleyne was shot and killed in Barbados in 2017. Local Barbadian news outlets reported at the time that the 21-year-old was shot by a gunman several times while he was walking through the St. Michael area of the island at around 7 p.m. The unidentified gunman fled the scene, and Alleyne was rushed to Queen Elizabeth Hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries. An investigation into Alleyne's murder was opened, but the Daily Mail notes that it is unknown if the findings were ever made available to the public.
Rihanna shared the tragic news of her cousin's death on Instagram at the time, writing, "RIP cousin... can't believe it was just last night that I held you in my arms! never thought that would be the last time I felt the warmth in your body!!! Love you always man!" She added the hastag, "end gun violence."
Following his passing, many of Rihanna's fans were quick to offer their condolences. One person commented on the singer's post, "prayers , he's your angel in heaven," with another person adding, "my condolences to u and your family." Somebody else commented, "Im sorry for your loss but dont forget he will always look over you watching your achievements in life hes always there with you watching you from above or in your heart stay strong love you." Several people echoed Rihanna's calls to end gun violence.