Victim in Berkeley's first slaying of 2016 ID'd

BERKELEY, Calif. (KTVU) - An aspiring rap artist was shot and killed outside his home south Berkeley home late Thursday night. It was Berkeley's first homicide of the year. Police are saying it was not a random attack.

Relatives identify the victim as 22-year-old Alex Goodwin. Goodwin's family says they have no idea why someone would target him.

"If it happened to our family it could happen to any family. This was so unexpected," said Goodwin's sister Aneka Patterson.

It happened just before midnight on Mabel Street near Burnett Street. Relatives say Goodwin didn't recognize the person ringing the doorbell through the peephole, so he went out the back door to have a better look.

"I heard gunshots. After I called police I came out and saw him on the ground," said Patterson.

Alex Goodwin or Aye-Gee as he called himself, died later at the hospital.

His family says he was passionate about rap and that he studied music in Arizona for a year.

Police say he was targeted.

"We have reason to believe the victim wasn't indiscriminately targeted, which would lead me to believe the public is not at risk. The specificity of that information is not something I can share," said Berkeley Police Sgt. Andrew Frankel.

"He just loved music. That's all he did was music and be at home in his room. He didn't bother nobody," said Patterson.

Four days ago Goodwin posted this chilling tweet:

"When I die, turnup for me...On Mabel in front of Grams house like I would want you to lol.”

His family wants answers.

"We don't want no one else getting hurt or retaliation. We just want justice," said Paterson.

Police are asking for the public's help as they investigate their only homicide so far this year.

Berkeley had just one homicide in 2015.

Anyone with information on the shooting is asked to call the Berkeley Police Department at (510) 981-5741.