‘Really good kid’: Kaplan murder victim is beloved DJ and rapper

KAPLAN, La. ( KLFY ) — The victim of a deadly shooting Monday afternoon in Kaplan was a beloved DJ and rapper from Abbeville.

The shooting that claimed the life of Leshawn “Meaux Thug” Paul Meaux happened in the parking lot of the Dollar General Market on East 1st Street near Sellers Avenue.

Kaplan police said when officers responded to the scene, Meaux was lying on his back and a patron of the store was trying to render aid. Meaux was pronounced dead at the scene.

Ena Darby, the owner of Ryal Fit Nutrition Club in Abbeville, knew Meaux because he went to school with her son. Meaux was also a customer of her business and would help her with social media promotions and marketing.

Darby said she was heartbroken to hear about the shooting.

“When I found out who it was, I immediately was just really sad and really heartbroken because I know he’s a really good kid,” said Ena Darby. “When I told my son about it, he said, Mom, Meaux was a really solid dude. He didn’t deserve this,” she said.

Darby said that Meaux was a “really sweet kid” who made an impact everywhere he went.

“Everywhere he went it was always a fun atmosphere. He really was interested in helping and giving back to the community,” Darby said.

“It’s really sad to hear that another life has been taken and I really feel for his kids who are left behind without a father,” she continued.

One arrest has been made in connection with the deadly shooting.

Kaplan police said Kendrick Rashad Solomon fled the scene of the crime but was apprehended outside city limits, at his home, with the assistance of the Vermilion Parish Sheriff’s Office.

Solomon faces charges of first-degree murder and aggravated criminal property damage, police said. He is being held at the Kaplan Jail.

Kaplan Police Chief Joshua Hardy said Meaux’s death is Kaplan’s first homicide of 2024.

Hardy said the cause or motive of the shooting is still under investigation.

“We’re going to the businesses in the area to get more video footage and see if we can actually see what exactly happened,” Hardy said.

“The detectives are working with officers to wrap things up. With the help of the sheriff’s office working together, they were able to apprehend them quickly, and working together as a team also helped to get things done quickly,” Hardy said of the investigation.

Hardy said more arrests are possible.

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