According to authorities, a U.S. tourist who was in Puerto Rico for the Bad Bunny’s residence was shot and killed early on Sunday in the well-known beachside slum known as La Perla.
According to a police statement, the victim was named as Kevin Mares, a 25-year-old New York resident.
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The incident took place in the early hours of the morning at a nightclub named Shelter for Mistreated Men in La Perla, a seaside town that has had a difficult time overcoming its negative image.
In a phone interview, homicide detective Sgt. Arnaldo Ruiz stated that the shooting occurred when a group of people in the vicinity of Mares got into a fight, and one of them pulled out a gun, killing at least three persons, including Mares. Two additional La Perla residents were hurt and are still in the hospital.
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Mares was an innocent bystander, according to Ruiz. Tens of thousands of people have visited the U.S. territory to see Bad Bunny’s 30 gigs, and he and three other companions informed authorities they were there for one of those shows.
After being shot in the left side of his belly, Mares was sent to the biggest public hospital in Puerto Rico, where he passed away, according to authorities.
According to Ruiz, police do not currently have a description of the gunman or know what the individuals were fighting over. “We don’t have much information,” he stated.
Mares’ three buddies were all from New York, Ruiz noted. Their hometowns were not with him.
La Perla is situated on the edges of Old San Juan, a tourist-friendly historic district. The shantytown, which has a population of a few hundred, was previously the main heroin distribution hub in Puerto Rico and was notorious for its violence.
The hamlet used to have a sign saying, “Not open to visitors,” and police used to avoid it. Don’t go in.
Hundreds of federal officials raided the slum in 2011 and detained dozens of people, including a prominent community leader who was eventually found guilty, but the violence subsided.
Puerto Rican artists Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee included the area in their blockbuster song, Despacito, making it even safer and friendlier.
However, there are still rare violent instances.
Three visitors were stabbed in February 2023 after they were instructed to cease recording inside the community, according to authorities.
Then, in April 2024, a 24-year-old Delaware tourist was slain and his body was burned after police claimed that he and a friend had been attacked after buying drugs. According to the police, despite being instructed not to, the victims were attempting to capture photos of La Perla.
Compared to 325 killings over the same period last year, the 3.2 million-person island has reported 277 killings so far this year.
