Nicki Minaj's Cousin Killed, NYPD Investigating

Devastated hip-hop star tweets the news after Nicholas Telemaque is gunned down in Brooklyn

By Marianne Garvey Jul 05, 2011 6:15 PMTags
Nicki Minaj, NicolasDenise Truscello/WireImage.com; Twitter

Nicki Minaj has suffered a horrible family tragedy.

The outrageous rapper revealed yesterday on Twitter that her beloved cousin, identified as Nicholas Telemaque, was gunned down in his hometown of Brooklyn on Monday.

The NYPD has confirmed the death to E! News.

See what a devastated Minaj tweeted about his death...

"My cousin Nicholas. Also goes by Juse or @brolicalcoholic Murdered. Last nite. Near his home. Brooklyn, NY," the hip- hop star tweeted about the tragedy, adding two pics of her cousin.

Earlier she tweeted: "Lived in Brooklyn his whole life. My precious cousin. My Baby. Killed last nite."

The NYPD tells E! that Telemaque was found with multiple gunshot wounds yesterday at 2:40 a.m. after officers responded to a 911 call of shots fired.

"He was the victim of multiple gunshot wounds in his upper torso," an NYPD spokesman said.

EMS arrived on the scene shortly after and transferred him to Kings County Hospital where he was pronounced DOA. 

Telemaque, 27, had just walked out of C-PAC nightclub, which is blocks from his home in East Flatbush, when he was shot.

He had prior arrests for marijuana possession and driving on a suspended license, but it is not clear why he was targeted.

No arrests have yet been made. The NYPD says the investigation is ongoing.