Rihanna's cousin died on Tuesday after being shot in Barbados.
The 29-year-old singer posted photos of herself with her 21-year-old cousin Tavon Kaiseen Alleyne on Instagram as she called for an end to gun violence.
"RIP cousin... can't believe it was just last night that I held you in my arms!" Rihanna wrote to her 59million Instagram followers.
"Never thought that would be the last time I felt the warmth in your body!!! Love you always man!"
She then included the hashtag "#endgunviolence" at the end of her post.
It's thought Rihanna spent her last family Christmas with her cousin.
Alleyne was walking through a track in the St Michael's area of Barbados at around 7pm on Boxing Day when he was approached by a man and shot several times, according to Nation News.
The man then fled the scene, and has not been identified.
The 21-year-old was rushed to a nearby hospital in a private vehicle but eventually died of his injuries.
Rihanna later added a memorial post to her Instagram stories with a black background and his handle @merka_95.
"Rest up lil cuz," she wrote, with emojis of praying hands, a crying face and a broken heart.
Police are still investigating the circumstances of the shooting
