Stray bullet kills N.Y. man in Puerto Rico for Bad Bunny concert
Queens resident Kevin Mares was fatally shot Sunday night at a San Juan nightclub in the La Perla neighborhood of the commonwealth U.S. island's capital city a little after 4 a.m. local time, according to police.
Officials said the East Elmhurst man was an innocent bystander when gunfire erupted. A 46-year-old local man and his sister, 45, were both injured but survived.
The incident took place at the nightclub Refugio de Hombres Maltratados in the La Perla neighborhood, an area known for crime in the coastal town.
Investigators said an argument broke out and a person pulled out a gun and started shooting.
"They were standing in the wrong place at the wrong time," Claudia Saenz, a family friend, told the Daily News.
Meanwhile, no arrests have been made and no suspects named.
Local police, according to Det. Arnaldo Ruiz, were working with "very little" information about the incident.
In a statement posted to social media, New York City Mayor Eric Adams said he was heartbroken that his life was "tragically ripped away due to gun violence in Puerto Rico."
"Condolences and prayers are with all of Kevin's loved ones grieving this unimaginable loss," stated the embattled Democrat-turned-Independent mayor currently up for re-election in a hotly contested mayoral race.
According to witnesses in recorded reports, Mares attended Saturday night's Bad Bunny concert in San Juan with his girlfriend and friends.
According to Mare's mother, he was planning to propose marriage in the fall to his girlfriend of seven years.
The family, meanwhile, is working with Puerto Rican authorities to return Mare's remains part of an active investigation in America's island territory, which is reportedly estimated to cost the grieving family at least $23,000 with a GoFundMe page setup to aid in the process.
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