Chinasa Modekwe remembers the moment she heard that her older brother, Ernest ‘Kosi’ Modekwe, was killed in a downtown Toronto shooting over the weekend.
“Shocked,” Chinasa said. “I didn’t think it was my brother and thought maybe someone got the names mixed up. I thought, ‘I’m going to get a phone call soon and they’ll tell me they got the name mixed up.'”
Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case.
28-year-old Ernest Modekwe, who went more commonly by his middle name “Kosi,” was one of two people killed at a shooting at Queen Street West near Peter Street at around 8 p.m. Saturday evening.
The other victim was 21-year-old Jahvante Smart, who was a rap artist that went by the name ‘Smoke Dawg‘ and even toured for Drake. A third victim was also taken to hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
“They worked a lot together for music videos and photo shoots,” Tyneesha Du, who said she was Modekwe’s girlfriend, told Global News on Tuesday.
She said ‘Smoke Dawg’ had worked with a rap group called ‘Prime Boys,’ and that Modekwe was the assistant manager, stylist and merchandise manager for the musical team. Du said ‘Kosi”s friends called him ‘Koba Prime’ as a nickname.
Du said Modekwe and ‘Smoke Dawg’ were building a friendship leading up to a trip to the U.K., where ‘Smoke Dawg’ would likely help him connect with other people in the industry and promote Prime on a larger scale.
Du said she was told her boyfriend died trying to look after his friend.
Chinasa said her brother’s primary passion was his clothing line, ‘Prime Boys,’ which had started gaining momentum before his death.
WATCH: Popular Toronto rapper ‘Smoke Dawg’ named as one of two people killed in shooting
“He actually texted me in April because his clothing line was advertised in Yonge and Dundas Square,” said Chinasa. “He was so excited about it, he was telling me “hey Chinasa, look my clothing line… it’s out there… I’m so happy, I’m finally making it.”
“I was telling him ‘bro, I’m so happy for you, the family is so proud,'” she said.
Chinasa also added that she believes her brother was an ‘innocent bystander’ the night of the shooting.
“My brother was in the crossfire,” Chinasa said. “He was in the wrong place at the wrong time. It just saddens my heart and my family’s hearts.”
“My brother didn’t have any enemies,” Chinasa added.
“If you were to sit with him in a room, it was impossible not to like him. He was so funny and so likable,” she continued.
His sister said ‘Kosi’ was the eldest of three siblings and was known as the ‘class clown’ among all of his friends.
“Ernest was so outgoing, loving, caring, compassionate. Everyone loved him, he had such a big heart that is larger life.”
Toronto police are still in search of the suspects, who they believe may have fled in a black SUV or a white car. They are asking any witnesses to come forward.