The trip to Puerto Rico was meant to be a celebration — a long-awaited chance for Kevin Mares, a 25-year-old veterinary student from Queens, to see Bad Bunny perform live. Instead, it ended in tragedy.
Mares was fatally shot early Sunday in La Perla, a seaside neighborhood in Old San Juan that has struggled for decades with poverty and violent crime. He had traveled to the island with his girlfriend and two friends, attending the sold-out concert on Saturday night before heading to a nightclub.
His father, Hector Mares, said the group was leaving the venue when an altercation erupted nearby.
“Across the street, there was a crowd,” he said in an interview. “They started arguing. One guy pulled out a gun and began shooting.”
Puerto Rican authorities said three people were struck by gunfire. Mares, believed to be an unintended target, was hit in the stomach. He was taken to a hospital, where he later died.
The other victims, both residents of La Perla, remain hospitalized. The police have not identified any suspects.
Mayor Eric Adams of New York City called the killing “a tragic loss to gun violence” and offered condolences to Mares’ family.
Raised in East Elmhurst, Mares lived with his parents and 15-year-old brother. He worked two part-time jobs while pursuing his studies and was known among friends for his cooking skills, love of karaoke, and devotion to Bad Bunny’s music.
His mother, Sandra, said the trip had been planned for months. “Every time Bad Bunny comes here, they go to almost all his concerts,” she said.
Learning of her son’s death from his girlfriend, she recalled: “She said, ‘I’m sorry. We lost him.’ The gunman took a piece of us.”
The family is coordinating with Puerto Rican authorities to bring Mares’ body home for burial. They are appealing for witnesses to come forward.
“We want justice,” his mother said, as the music that drew her son to Puerto Rico now stands in painful contrast to the violence that claimed his life.
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