A US tourist visiting Puerto Rico for a Bad Bunny concert was shot to death in a notoriously dangerous San Juan neighborhood on Sunday, authorities said.
Kevin Mares, 25, was shot twice while hanging at a popular nightspot in La Perla, a shantytown on the outskirts of Old San Juan, officials said.
Mares, a hardworking veterinary student from New York who was planning to propose to his longtime girlfriend in the fall, is believed to have been an innocent bystander when two people nearby started arguing and one pulled out a gun.
He was shot in the abdomen and side, according to NBC 6 South Florida, and was rushed a hospital but died.
At least two others, both La Perla locals, were shot and remain in the hospital.
Mares was in Puerto Rico with three friends to see the popular local rapper perform in a 30-show residency that’s drawn thousands of US tourists to the Caribbean island and US territory.
The 25-year-old from East Elmhurst, Queens had been juggling two part-time jobs while studying to be a veterinarian, his family told CBS News
“We want justice,” his mother Sandra Mares told the outlet.
Mares had been looking forward to the vacation in Puerto Rico with his girlfriend for months and was a huge fan of Bad Bunny, his heartbroken parents said.
Loved ones described the 25-year-old as “a deeply loved son, devoted friend, and a source of inspiration to everyone who knew him” in a GoFundMe created to help cover the expenses to bring his body back home.
“His wholehearted kindness, adventurous spirit, and unwavering commitment to family made him a pillar of strength for his loved ones,” the fundraising page read, adding that Mares was planning to propose to his girlfriend of six years in the fall.
“Family was at the center of everything he did, and his sudden passing has left an unfillable void in our lives,” loved ones wrote on the page.
Mares is also survived by his 15-year-old brother, CBS reported.
His shooter remains at large, local police told NBC 6.
“We have very little information,” said San Juan detective Sgt. Arnaldo Ruiz.
La Perla has been dogged by a reputation for crime and violence for decades.
It used to be a hotbed for drug dealing, and the danger for outsiders was so severe that police would keep out of the neighborhood and even posted signs advising people not to enter.
And while a massive federal raid in 2011 eased the troubles, danger still persists.
In 2023, two tourists were stabbed after somebody became angry that they were filming in the neighborhood, and in 2024, a Delaware tourist was murdered and set on fire after a drug deal.
Mares’ family is currently working with local authorities in Puerto Rico to bring their son’s body home to Queens to make funeral arrangements, CBS reported.
His family has urged anyone with information regarding the shooting to come forward.
Additional reporting by Zoe Hussain
