A 37-year-old DJ from Queens was tragically killed early Thursday morning during a Fourth of July party when a fight broke out, and shots were fired.
Travanti Rankine, who worked as an electrician at Carle Place High School, was shot in the chest around 5 a.m. at a home on Montauk St. near 119th Road in St. Albans.
His wife Sasha-Marie, devastated by the loss, described feeling weak and unable to believe what had happened. Rankine, a father of two, was outside the party when an argument escalated, resulting in gunfire. It’s unclear if he was involved in the altercation or simply caught in the crossfire.
Known for his passion as a DJ, especially within the Jamaican community where he performed reggae music, Rankine was remembered fondly by his wife as a loving father and local artist. He had dropped off his two sons at his mother’s house just hours before the shooting, anticipating a big night.
Sasha-Marie recounted learning about the shooting from a friend who attended the party, not realizing Rankine was there until she received the tragic news. She rushed to Jamaica Hospital, where efforts to save him were unsuccessful.
As police continue to investigate and search for the shooter, Sasha-Marie grapples with the profound loss, trying to explain to her children what happened. She expressed deep anger towards the perpetrator, feeling they deserve severe consequences for tearing her family apart.