A vacationer from New York was fatally shot early Sunday whereas visiting Puerto Rico to attend Bad Bunny’s residency, police stated.
The sufferer, recognized as 25-year-old Kevin Mares, was killed at La Perla, a well-liked seaside shantytown close to Previous San Juan, police stated in an announcement.
The taking pictures occurred within the predawn hours at a nightspot referred to as “Shelter for Mistreated Males.”
Mares was shot on the left aspect of his stomach and was taken to Puerto Rico’s largest public hospital, the place he died, authorities stated.
Sandra Mares
Murder detective Sgt. Arnaldo Ruiz instructed The Related Press in a telephone interview that the taking pictures occurred when a number of individuals close to Mares started arguing, and one pulled out a gun and shot at the very least three individuals. Two different males who stay in La Perla had been injured and remained hospitalized.
“We’re nonetheless within the early phases of creating a motive for the occasions. We will not rule something out till the interviews are accomplished,” Ruiz instructed native media, based on El Nuevo Dia.
The police sergeant stated Mares was an harmless bystander who was visiting Puerto Rico with associates for one in every of Dangerous Bunny’s 30 live shows. The musician’s high-profile residency has attracted tens of 1000’s of holiday makers to the U.S. territory.
Ruiz added that Mares’ three associates had been additionally from New York. He did not have their hometowns.
Ricardo Arduengo / AP 
La Perla is situated on the outskirts of a historic district well-liked with vacationers generally known as Previous San Juan. A pair hundred individuals stay within the shantytown, which as soon as served as Puerto Rico’s greatest distribution level for heroin and was identified for its violence.
Police used to keep away from the neighborhood, which used to have an indication proclaiming, “Not open to guests. Don’t enter.”
However violence eased when lots of of federal brokers raided the slum in 2011 and arrested dozens of individuals, together with a well known neighborhood chief who was later convicted.
The neighborhood became even safer and more welcoming after Puerto Rican singers Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee featured it of their hit, “Despacito.”
However remoted violent incidents persist.
In February 2023, three tourists were stabbed after police stated an individual instructed them to cease filming contained in the neighborhood.
Then, in April 2024, a 24-year-old vacationer from Delaware was killed and his physique set on fireplace after police stated he and a good friend had been attacked following a drug buy. Police stated the victims had been making an attempt to take photos of La Perla after being warned not to take action.
The island of three.2 million individuals has reported 277 killings to this point this yr, in contrast with 325 killings in the identical interval final yr.
