Rihanna’s cousin and the sister of the 21-year-old murdered in Barbados on Boxing day said her brother wasn’t a saint, but that doesn’t mean he deserved to be murdered.
‘My brother wasn’t a saint, but he didn’t go looking for trouble,’ Tanella Alleyne, 22, told reporters the day after her younger brother’s tragic death.
Her brother, Tavon Kaiseen Alleyne was walking through the Eden Lodge area of St Michael’s on the island when a gunman shot him several times just before 7pm Tuesday.
And Tanella said that she’d just seen him five hours earlier when they were celebrating their first Christmas as a family together.
Tanelle Alleyne, Rihanna’s cousin and the sister of the 21-year-old murdered in Barbados on Boxing day said her brother wasn’t a saint, but that doesn’t mean he deserved to be murdered
Rhianna’s cousin Tavon Kaiseen Alleyne was murdered on Boxing day in the Eden Lodge area of St Michael’s
Tanelle said that though her brother ‘wasn’t a saint,’ he didn’t deserve to be murdered on the street. ‘He wouldn’t go looking for trouble,’ she explained
Tanelle and Tavon Alleyne are pictured together in good times before his brutal murder
Tanelle, pictured top right next to her brother Tavon, and with two of their younger siblings, said their family was split up when she turned seven and their mother died. She said that because her father wasn’t around, the siblings were split up and went to live with different family members
Alleyne, 21, was walking through a track in the St Michael’s area (highlighted) of the holiday island at around 7pm on Tuesday night when he was approached by a man and shot several times
‘We lost our mother at seven, and our dad was never playing his part,’ she explained.
‘Then everyone separated, we never lived together until recently. This was our first Christmas together, the first time we’ve ever lived together.’
The next day she was relaxing with her boyfriend when she heard gunshots.
‘I thought they were from the people over there,’ she said, referring to her neighbors across the way.
‘So I didn’t run out when I heard them. Only when my sister called me I put two and two together, I told myself, that’s Tavon.’
Tanella said Tavon was headed to his girlfriend’s house when he was shot, and said he would never have gone looking for trouble.
‘My brother saw the whole thing,’ she explained, referring to her 18-year-old brother, who wasn’t named.
‘He said Tavon did nothing.’
Pictures of the murder scene show yellow police tape around the back of a property and next to a parked car in the neighborhood. Residents in the area said it marks the spot where Tavon was murdered.
Tanelle said she was relaxing with her boyfriend in the late afternoon on Boxing day when she heard gunshots. Later after receiving a call from her sister she ‘put two and two together,’ and realized it was Tavon who’d been shot
Pictured is the photo of the spot where Tanelle was killed, at the bottom left is a visible blood stain on the pavement
Faint red marks on the pavement are blood stains from where Tavon was shot dead on Tuesday night
Pictures show a strip of yellow police tape around the back of a property and next to a parked car in the neighborhood, marking the spot where the 21-year-old was murdered
This is the crime scene in Barbados where Rihanna’s cousin was shot dead – just hours after the pair spent Christmas Day together
Tanelle described her brother as a firm follower of the Christian faith, and said that earlier he’d asked her to pray with him and then take a photo. She then showed reporters the time stamp on her phone, which read 2.36pm, and said that was the last time she saw her brother
Tanelle, pictured, said that because they were living in separate households for so long this was the first time they’d been able to spend Christmas together and live together like family
After saying her final goodbyes to her brother in the hospital Tuesday night, Tanelle wrote a touching tribute to her brother on Instagram. She shared a photo of herself with Tavon, in which she is leaned over his hospital bed and he has the emoji of an angel over his face
‘I never thought the day would come that I would have to bury you my love , omggg!!!’ Tanella wrote in an Instagram post Tuesday night. Tavon is pictured in good times before his tragic death
Tanelle described her brother as a firm follower of the Christian faith, and said that earlier he’d asked her to pray with him and then take a photo.
‘He said we should go over there and pray, I guess he had a lot of feelings and it was Christmas,’ she explained.
‘He’s a firm believer, Tavon would pray for anything. Then he asked Tanella take a picture with me.’
She then showed reporters the time stamp on her phone, which read 2.36pm, and said that was the last time she saw her brother.
‘It was our first Christmas together. We were looking out for each other,’ she said.
‘I really really really love my brother.’
After saying her final goodbyes to her brother in the hospital Tuesday night, Tanelle wrote a touching tribute to her brother on Instagram.
She shared a photo of herself with Tavon, in which she is leaned over his hospital bed and he has the emoji of an angel over his face.
‘I never thought the day would come that I would have to bury you my love , omggg!!!’ Tanella wrote.
‘This was our first Christmas together we clean we decorate and everything!! Tavon I know you was trying to be a better person!! I loveee you soooo muchhhhhhhhh brother omg!’
Just after hearing about his murder on Tuesday night Rihanna also posted a series of photos of her and Alleyne together and called for an end to gun crime as she mourned his death.
‘RIP cousin… can’t believe it was just last night that I held you in my arms!’ the heartbroken Wild Thoughts singer wrote to her 59million Instagram followers.
‘Never thought that would be the last time I felt the warmth in your body!!! Love you always man!’
Rihanna, 29, said on Instagram Tuesday that her cousin had died, indicating that she had just spent Christmas with him
Heartache: The You Da One singer added the hashtag, ‘#endgunviolence,’ at the end of the post, insinuating that her cousin’s passing was the result of a shooting
Sad: The singer expressed her grief through a powerful series of emojis
The eight-time Grammy award winner added the hashtag, ‘#endgunviolence,’ at the end of the post.
Earlier this month, Barbados Police said there had been a significant increase in gun-related crimes on the island compared to 2016. Of the 28 murders committed so far this year, 22 were gun-related, figures revealed.
According to Nation News, Alleyne’s killer, who has not been identified, shot several times before fleeing the scene.
The 21-year-old was rushed to a nearby hospital in a private vehicle but eventually succumbed to his injuries.
Rhianna later added a memorial panel to her Instagram Stories, with a black background adding his handle – @merka_95.
‘Rest up lil cuz,’ she wrote, with emojis of praying hands, a crying face and a broken heart.
Better times: The eight-time Grammy winner shared a series of shots in which she was posed with her relative
Tribute: Rihanna’s brother Rorrey Fenty, who raps under the moniker Gallest, posted an emotional tribute to their cousin Tavon on his Instagram
Hometown hero: The songstress frequently returns to her native Barbados to meet with family
The Work singer shared four shots along with the post, illustrating how close she and her cousin were.
Rihanna’s brother, Rorrey Fenty, who raps under the name Gallest, also took to his Instagram to call Mr Alleyne ‘Young King!’, adding ‘R.I.P Cuz!’.
‘Never Knew This Morning Would Be The Last Time We Kicked It Together. Forever In Our Hearts,’ he added to the emotional post.
Police are still searching the island for the shooter, and have asked anyone with information to contact the District A Police Station, Crime Stoppers or the nearest police station.
Alleyne’s Instagram account featured images of the singer, including one in which he wished her a happy birthday in February.
He wrote: ‘Every day we are happy to have you in our lives. Happy Birthday cousin, we really love you. Your presence in my life is a source of joy and happiness. To my favorite cousin, may all your dreams and wishes come true. #LoveYouLoads #wishyoumanymoretocome.’
Police are currently searching the island for the shooter, and have asked anyone with information to contact the District A Police Station, Crime Stoppers or the nearest police station
Rihanna is pictured with her uncle Leroy Brathwaite in November. His son Tavon Kaiseen Alleyne was shot dead on Tuesday night
Alleyne was walking through a track in the St Michael’s area of Barbados around 7pm Tuesday night when he was approached by a man and shot several times, according to Nation News