Nickalus Thompson

Nickalus Thompson, a 21-year-old Black male rapper from Brooklyn, was on the verge of a major career milestone when his life was taken. Known professionally as Nick Blixky, he was a rising talent in the city’s drill music scene who had started rapping for fun with his crew before his YouTube videos gained a positive response and a growing following. Friends described him as a lyrical artist and a "family guy" who was focused and positive. Just hours before he was killed, Thompson had been promoting his debut mixtape, 'Different Timin,' which was scheduled to be released in less than a month.

On the evening of Mother's Day, May 10, 2020, Thompson was on Winthrop Street in Brooklyn's Prospect Lefferts Gardens neighborhood. At around 9:30 p.m., a man approached him. The two greeted each other and briefly touched hands before the man stepped back, pulled out a gun, and fired multiple times. Police from the 71st Precinct found Thompson with gunshot wounds to his torso and buttocks. He was rushed to Kings County Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Investigators later determined he had been hit by five bullets, which struck his lungs and heart.

The investigation quickly focused on evidence from the scene, including witness statements and extensive surveillance video. Footage captured the shooter’s distinctive clothing, which included bronze sneakers and a hoodie, as well as a large gold ring and a globe tattoo on his left arm. The video showed the moments leading up to the attack and the assailant fleeing afterward, hopping onto a getaway dirt bike driven by another person.

Based on the video evidence and witness accounts, police identified the suspect as Caliph Glean, an ex-convict who had previously served time for attempted murder. In June 2020, Glean was arrested in Philadelphia. He was returned to New York to face charges for the murder of Nickalus Thompson. Prosecutors described the killing as a calculated assassination, alleging Glean was a rival gang member who had hunted Thompson down.

The case proceeded to trial in Brooklyn Supreme Court, where a jury found Caliph Glean guilty of murder in December. On March 18, 2026, Glean was sentenced to 23 years to life in prison. The case is considered closed as of his sentencing in March 2026.