A wave of disbelief and heartbreak has spread across social media following the chilling murder of TikToker Jabari “Baba Skeng” Johnson. Johnson, who is the son of reggae artiste Jah Mason, was gunned down while streaming live on TikTok.
Jamaica Observer reached out to Jah Mason shortly after the shooting. While the distraught singer confirmed the tragic loss of his son, he was unable to offer details as he and his family were still in shock.
After the incident, social media quickly became flooded with reactions ranging from sorrow and outrage to fear and frustration. Many users expressed horror at how violence is now playing out in real time for public consumption.
“I just saw the video. Brings back memories of Nyah,” one Instagram user commented, referencing the similar live-streamed killing of Xavier “Niah Gang” Fogah last year. “The live them a tek lives — something nuh right,” another wrote. Some also said the issues stemmed from TikTokers revealing their live location, which makes them vulnerable.
Prettii Don, a controversial social media figure, weighed in, pointing out that many TikTokers are involved in illicit activities and the social media platform is becoming a stage for violence. She expressed that many online users dismiss the gangster persona TikTokers display, but in many cases, it is a reflection of who they really are. However, no reports indicated that Johnson was affiliated with any criminal activities.
Dancehall artiste Stalk Ashley also expressed deep concern about gun violence in Jamaica. She expressed that while it is prevalent in Jamaica, it was a whole new level of horror for killings to happen on live streams. She stated that the disturbing footage of his death left her speechless, as it did many locals.
“Jamaica have the MOST TikTok killings ON LIVE! Like what are they trying to prove?” one Instagram user wrote.
“Live will lead to live rounds… this is no joke,” another expressed.
Johnson was killed while he was standing outside Queenie’s Snack Shop along Red Hills Road in St Andrew on Monday. A hooded man approached and shot him execution-style, reportedly in the back of the head.
The St. Andrew North Police have launched a full investigation into the killing. No suspects have been apprehended as of publication time.
This marks the fourth high-profile TikTok-related murder in recent months, with victims including Marlon “41 Busshead” Samuels, Xavier “Niah Gang” Fogah, and Keauno “Popsy” Watson, all young content creators with significant followings on the platform.
