Nicki Minaj Relatives Believe Shooting Of Her Cousin Was ‘Mistaken Identity’
April 12 2018, Updated 2:51 p.m. ET
By Cliff Renfrew - RadarOnline.com Staff Reporter
Relatives of rap superstar Nicki Minaj have told RadarOnline.com that they believe the brutal shooting of her cousin Nicholas Telemaque was a case of ‘mistaken identity’.
The slaying of Telemaque, 27, during the early hours of Monday morning has left Minaj, 26, and her relatives heartbroken. He was shot close to his home in East Flatbush, Brooklyn, around 2.40 am after he left the C-PAC nightclub with a group of friends.
His cousin Carol Clarke told RadarOnline.com: “He was shot in the chest as he walked towards his car close to his home. Nicki is absolutely devastated as are all our family - she was very close to her cousin but now he has gone.
“She has reached-out to Nicholas’ mom Victoria to offer her words of comfort but she is too distraught. Nicholas was a quiet person but he could be the life and soul of the party too - he did not run with gangs or anything like that.
“His friends have told us there wasn’t any trouble that night and we believe it could have been a case of mistaken identity but the police are still investigating the case.
“We are still trying to make arrangements for his funeral but I will really miss him because he was a good person.”
Minaj (real name Onika Tanya Maraj) who is known for her hits like Moment 4 Life and Super Bass has taken to her Twitter to pay tribute to her cousin and post photographs of him.
She wrote: “My cousin Nicholas. Also goes by Juse, or @brolicalcohilic. Murdered. Last nite. Near his home. Brooklyn, NY.”
Nicholas Telemaque was rushed to Kings County Hospital but he died as a result of gunshots to his torso.
He had prior arrests for possession of marijuana and driving on a suspended license - police are still investigating the case and looking for more witnesses to come forward.
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