Texas teen shot dead over ‘social media beef’ after being targeted on Instagram for months, claims family
HOUSTON, TEXAS: A 16-year-old girl was murdered on Monday afternoon, October 26, in a shooting that police say was linked to a "social media beef." In a Twitter post, Houston police said when they arrived at the 10800 block of Sharpview Drive, they found the teenager dead while the other two victims were rushed to the hospital. They also said that the other two are “expected to survive.”
Westside officers are on a shooting at 10000 Sharpview Dr. Two Gunshot victims. One is deceased, and the other was taken to an area hospital in critical condition.#HouNews
— Houston Police (@houstonpolice) October 26, 2020
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16 year old female deceased at the scene, two other victims expected to survive. 202
— Houston Police (@houstonpolice) October 26, 2020
While the police have not identified the 16-year-old, her family has named her as Mareja Pratt - an Elsik High School sophomore, ABC 13 reported. "This appears to involve an ongoing social media beef with our three victims that came to this location to engage the people," Houston Police Department Commander David Angelo said. Kira Walton, a cousin of Pratt, told ABC 13 that another unidentified girl "kept picking on her on Instagram, sending people pictures saying she was a prostitute.” “Messing with her ... messing with her to the point my cousin used to cry about it," she said. Walton added that “I feel like my whole soul was ripped out. This is hard on my family. So hard.”
A GoFundMe page has been launched by Pratt’s brother to raise money so that they can hold a funeral for her. “I’m her brother & we’re trying to raise money for her funeral cost anything as small as a dollar would help. Times are hard & 2020 has been really rough! My little sister was only 16 she had so much life! She was in her books & focused on school. She was only a sophomore. Everyone loved her she always kept a smile on her face & everyone happy... She stood out when she walked in the room! I’m speechless to say that my little sister is gone. Nothing i can do or say will bring her back. Me & her were the youngest and we we’re always together with our parents . Any donation would help . We will be very grateful of every donation,” the message on the page read.
Meanwhile, police have identified the other two victims of the shooting. They are 20-year-old Dekambrie Pratt and 32-year-old Anthony Thornabar. Both are receiving treatment at the hospital. As per a report by PEOPLE, a press release by the Houston police said that a “Black male suspect” was seen by witnesses exiting "a red Chrysler 200 and shooting multiple times at the victims." "The male suspect, along with three females, then got into the vehicle and fled the scene in an unknown direction," the press release added.
Police have also urged people to come forward if they have any information related to the shooting and contact the Houston Police Department Homicide Division at 713-308-3600 or Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS.
In another incident that happened in 2019, a social media star, named Bianca Devins, was allegedly murdered by her boyfriend, who then shared grisly photos of her lifeless body on Instagram. In the caption, the suspect identified as Brandon Andrew Clark said, “I am sorry Bianca.” He also changed her bio on the social site that read: "10/06/1997 – 7/14/19. Just know that I feel no pain now." The 17-year-old victim was famous on Instagram but her life was taken away after she reportedly got into a heated altercation with her 21-year-old boyfriend.