TikTok Star Killed in Shooting During Livestream

A popular TikTok content creator was shot and killed in an execution-style attack while livestreaming with a fellow influencer in Saint Andrew, Jamaica.

Jabari Johnson, 25, widely known online as ‘Baba Skeng’, was gunned down on Monday evening as he interacted with a friend on a livestream near Queenie’s Snack Shop along Red Hills Road.

Chilling footage of the incident captures Johnson laughing and speaking moments before a masked gunman dressed in black calmly approaches from behind and opens fire at close range. The shooter, identified as left-handed, targeted Johnson’s head and upper body before fleeing the scene on foot.

Johnson collapsed immediately amid the sound of panicked screams. He was pronounced dead at the scene, according to The Jamaica Observer. His killing occurred around 6:30 p.m., and authorities from the St. Andrew North Police Division have launched an investigation into the incident.

Johnson, who was the son of reggae artist Jah Mason, was reportedly playing a game with another TikToker at the time of the livestream. His father has confirmed the death but declined to give further comment, noting the family is still coming to terms with the loss.

String of Killings

Johnson’s murder is the latest in a troubling trend of violence targeting social media influencers in Jamaica. Three other TikTok personalities were killed in recent months:

• Marlon Samuels, known as ‘41 Busshead’, was shot dead in Montego Bay on December 20, 2024.

• Xavier ‘Niah Gang’ Fogah, 23, was gunned down in St. Catherine on December 7, 2024.

• In September 2024, Keauno ‘Popsy’ Watson, also 23, was fatally attacked by a group of armed men.

These killings have raised alarm over the safety of high-profile digital personalities in the region.

Violence Beyond Jamaica

The threat to influencers isn’t limited to Jamaica. In December 2024, Mexican TikTok star Gordo Percui (real name Leovardo Asipuro Soto) and his wife Brenda Félix were ambushed in a suspected gang-related attack outside their home in Culiacán, Mexico. Soto died at the scene, while Félix later succumbed to her injuries in hospital.

As investigations into Johnson’s murder continue, concerns grow over the increasing violence facing social media figures, both in the Caribbean and across the globe.