A deadly shooting at a children's birthday party in Massachusetts has left two people dead, while two others are critically wounded. The attack occurred on Saturday at the Saint John the Baptist Club in Carver, where rapper Benjamin Cowart, 27, was pronounced dead upon arrival. He was later confirmed to be Jalen Pina, 20, a local rap artist who performed under the stage name "Buku tensai."
Cowart's friend and fellow performer, Pina, died at a nearby hospital shortly after being flown in by helicopter, while another victim was also transported to a hospital. The two victims were listed as being in critical condition on Saturday night.
According to the Carver Police Department, they believe that the shooting "was not a random act," but rather a targeted attack carried out by 23-year-old Nicholas Meuse, who allegedly knew both of the victims.
Meuse was quickly apprehended by police shortly after fleeing the scene, bringing an end to what authorities described as a chaotic and violent incident.
"We are still investigating how many shots were fired, but we can confirm that there is no ongoing threat to the public," said Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy Cruz in a statement.
In a GoFundMe campaign set up by a family friend, Pina's colleagues described him as "a beautiful soul with pure gold-hearted" and praised his artistic talents.
Cowart's friend and fellow performer, Pina, died at a nearby hospital shortly after being flown in by helicopter, while another victim was also transported to a hospital. The two victims were listed as being in critical condition on Saturday night.
According to the Carver Police Department, they believe that the shooting "was not a random act," but rather a targeted attack carried out by 23-year-old Nicholas Meuse, who allegedly knew both of the victims.
Meuse was quickly apprehended by police shortly after fleeing the scene, bringing an end to what authorities described as a chaotic and violent incident.
"We are still investigating how many shots were fired, but we can confirm that there is no ongoing threat to the public," said Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy Cruz in a statement.
In a GoFundMe campaign set up by a family friend, Pina's colleagues described him as "a beautiful soul with pure gold-hearted" and praised his artistic talents.
my heart goes out to the families of those victims 
it's just awful that something like this happens at a kids birthday party 
what's even more disturbing is that it was premeditated, not just some random act of violence 
I feel bad for Pina and his friend, they were both young and talented artists with their whole lives ahead of them 
and now they're gone in an instant 
I hope the authorities catch whoever did this and bring them to justice, but also let's not forget about Pina's family and friends who are going through this hard time 
it's gonna be tough for them to deal with the loss of their loved one 
what kind of messed up world is this?! 
The police are saying it wasn't a random act, but I don't think that changes anything - two people are dead and two more could be dying because of this senseless violence. 
and it's just awful that his life was cut short like that. police saying its not a random act tho, so i guess they think the person who did this knew both victims? 
my heart just can't take this anymore... two innocent lives lost at a birthday party 
, what is wrong with our world?! 
it's like we're living in some kind of dark nightmare where evil knows no bounds 
. there was someone who knew both victims, so it's like they got what was coming to them 
it's like, we're always talking about how important life is, but when someone gets hurt, we just seem to shrug it off and move on 
. no, we need to take a stand and make some changes 
.
. you guys must be going through the worst pain imaginable right now 
. may he rest in peace, and may his music live on as a reminder of how beautiful and talented he was 
. Anyway, my thoughts are with the victims and their families - RIP Buku tensai 
.