Rihanna's cousin shot dead in Barbados on Boxing Day - BBC News
The singer posts a tribute to her cousin and calls for an end to gun violence.
Rihanna has called for an end to gun violence after her cousin was killed in Barbados on Boxing Day.

She's been paying tribute to her 21-year-old relative - they had just spent Christmas together.

Rihanna added the hashtag #endgunviolence to an emotional post on Instagram.

"RIP cousin... can't believe it was just last night that I held you in my arms!" she wrote.

The message was put up with a photo gallery dedicated to her cousin.

Rihanna didn't name him, but according to Barbadian news station Nation News, the victim of a shooting is 21-year-old Tavon Kaiseen Alleyne.

She went on to write: "Never thought that would be the last time I felt the warmth in your body!!!

She also tagged his profile in the series of photos.

In February he posted a heartfelt message under a photo of the two of them together celebrating Rihanna's 29th birthday.

"Your presence in my life is a source of joy and happiness," he wrote.

It's believed Tavon was walking through a track by his house in St Michael, Barbados when he was approached by a man who shot him multiple times before fleeing the scene.

Police are currently on the hunt for the shooter and have asked anyone with information to contact Crime Stoppers or the District A Police Station in Barbados.

Gun crime has been rife on the Caribbean island recently with police confirming a significant increase, with 22 out of 28 murders committed there being gun-related.

Find us on Instagram at BBCNewsbeat and follow us on Snapchat, search for bbc_newsbeat