Vernika Dunbar now faces an involuntary manslaughter charge after authorities say she fired the shot that killed her sister, reality TV star Kash, during an Oakland street brawl.
Alameda County prosecutors filed the felony count against the 38-year-old after a violent confrontation left 29-year-old Mackayla Paige dead. Paige, known to fans as Kash, starred on shows including “Real West Coast Baddies,” “Room H8z,” and “Young and Reckless.”
Oakland police said the shooting unfolded shortly after 1:30 a.m. Sunday on the 200 block of 14th Street. Officers found Paige suffering from gunshot wounds. She was rushed to a hospital and later pronounced dead.
The New York Post reported that Dunbar jumped into the fight to protect her sister. Authorities said she was trying to strike a woman who was fighting with Kash, using a handgun, when she fired the round that struck Paige instead.
The night had started far from that scene. Kash uploaded Instagram stories of herself out enjoying the evening with family and friends before the brawl erupted.
Loved ones later gathered for a memorial. Cousin Nicky Clayton told KTVU she was still struggling to process the loss.
Clayton said:
"I’m in disbelief."
She described Kash spending time with family that night and pushed back against any sense that trouble was inevitable.
Clayton added:
"She was chilling. She was with family. So she supposed to be good. I don’t know what transpired, but I know she’s supposed to be here."
Clayton also spoke about Kash’s drive. The young influencer wanted fame but kept her footing, her cousin said. She had modeling work, makeup ambitions, and plans to launch her own business.
Friend Poodahh, who has “Spoil Me With Kash” tattooed on her hand, joined the tribute and refused to speak of her in the past tense.
Poodahh said:
"She’s not gone. I can’t speak to her in the past tense."
She remembered Kash as the friend who pushed everyone harder and kept the group moving from place to place. “I’m sorry for all of our loss, because she’s a star,” Poodahh said.
Cases like this land hard on families left picking up the pieces, a pattern also seen when reality star Kash was fatally shot in Oakland after posting final night-out videos.
Police accounts describe a mass brawl, not a planned hit. Dunbar entered the chaos, gun in hand, aiming to hit the woman fighting her sister. One shot later, her own sister was down.
The Alameda County District Attorney’s office moved ahead with the involuntary manslaughter charge. That count covers an unlawful killing without malice, typically when reckless or negligent conduct causes a death. No further charging details, custody status, or defense claims appear in the initial reports.
Street fights that turn into shootings keep claiming lives in American cities. Weekend gun violence has drawn national attention before, including when Trump warned Chicago will die without federal help after dozens were shot in a single stretch.
Oakland’s latest case fits a grim list of public gun deaths that leave officials answering for the aftermath. Similar pressure hit leadership after a deadly festival shooting in Seattle drew sharp criticism and cost a police chief his job.
Basic questions still sit open. Reports give no absolute calendar date beyond “Sunday,” no full headcount from the brawl, and no word on whether anyone else was hurt or charged. The woman Dunbar allegedly tried to strike remains unnamed. Ballistics and exact medical wording beyond the fatal shot are not detailed in the initial account.
Dunbar’s own statement, if any, has not surfaced. Neither has a self-defense claim or a full charging document with case numbers and next court dates.
Manslaughter charges after a shooting often force a hard look at split-second decisions with a firearm. Another recent example came when a Pennsylvania officer faced manslaughter charges after a fatal shooting of an unarmed college student.
For Kash’s circle, the legal process will not revise the final hours. A young woman who chased reality fame, modeling gigs, and a makeup brand left Instagram stories of a night out and never came home.
When family members arm up and wade into street brawls, the people they mean to protect too often pay the price, and the public is left with another preventable body and a courtroom reckoning that should never have been necessary.