A 38-year-old woman has been charged with a felony in connection with the weekend shooting death of her sister, a reality television personality known to audiences as Kash, according to authorities in the East Bay.
The Alameda County District Attorney filed one count of involuntary manslaughter against Vernika Dunbar, TMZ.com reported on Wednesday, October 14, 2026. The charge stems from an incident early Sunday morning in Oakland that left Kash dead.
According to the Oakland Police Department, Dunbar stepped in to help her sister as a physical altercation unfolded. Investigators say Dunbar attempted to strike another woman with a handgun while that woman was fighting with Kash. During the encounter, police say, Dunbar discharged the weapon and the round struck her sister instead.
Kash was taken by ambulance to a hospital, where medical staff declared her dead, according to police accounts cited by TMZ.com.
The case has drawn attention well beyond Oakland because of Kash's television profile. She appeared on the programs "Real West Coast Baddies," "Room H8z" and "Young & Reckless," building a following in reality TV and hip-hop circles.
Hours before the gunfire, Kash shared video on her Instagram account documenting a night out, according to TMZ.com. The posts, published Saturday evening, show her socializing ahead of the events that would unfold the following morning.
The involuntary manslaughter filing marks a significant development in a case that began with a chaotic scene and, within days, produced a criminal charge against a member of the victim's own family. Prosecutors in Alameda County have not indicated whether additional charges are anticipated.