Latest news with #RubbyPérez
Daily Mail
27-04-2025
- Daily Mail
Mass shooting at Myrtle Beach nightclub leaves 11 injured and one dead
A shooting in Myrtle Beach, South Caroline left one person dead and 11 others injured late Saturday night, according to police. The Myrtle Beach Police Department is now scrambling to piece together the horrific scene as the popular tourist hotspot turned into a zone of terror. Just before the clock struck midnight on Saturday at 11:50 p.m., Myrtle Beach police officers stumbled upon a full-blown brawl involving a crowd of people. According to the authorities, they 'observed a disturbance involving multiple individuals.' Cops say a chaotic fight turned deadly in Myrtle Beach when someone whipped out a weapon, forcing an officer to fire back. 'The individual shot during officer response has passed away as a result of their injuries,' police posted on Facebook. Authorities confirmed the officer involved escaped without injury. The Myrtle Beach Police Department released a statement, saying: 'The Myrtle Beach Police Department offers its prayers and deepest sympathies to everyone affected by this incident.' Following standard procedure, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) will now step in to conduct an independent investigation into the officer-involved shooting. Additionally, the Myrtle Beach Police Department will also carry out an internal review of the deadly incident. 'We appreciate the public's patience as both investigations proceed, and all leads are thoroughly examined,' the department stated. This latest shooting comes just weeks after a devastating nightclub tragedy in the Dominican Republic that has reignited concerns over public safety in crowded venues worldwide. On April 8, 2025, the roof of the iconic Jet Set nightclub in Santo Domingo suddenly collapsed during a live performance by legendary merengue singer Rubby Pérez. The catastrophe left 232 people dead—including Pérez himself—and 225 others injured, with around 515 patrons inside at the time. The Jet Set nightclub, a staple of the Dominican capital since 1973, was well known for hosting celebrities, politicians, and athletes. Originally built as a movie theater, it underwent major renovations in 2010 and 2015. Structural experts now believe that those renovations—including the installation of heavy equipment and layers of lightweight concrete to help with drainage—added more than 55 tons of weight to a roof that was never engineered to hold it. In the aftermath, the club's owner, Antonio Espaillat, said he was "completely destroyed" by the tragedy and insisted he had no idea the building was in danger. He admitted the club had ongoing issues with water leaks from air conditioning units—often patched by replacing plasterboard—but had never received a full structural assessment. Authorities in the Dominican Republic have since launched an investigation with both local and international experts to determine what went wrong. The disaster stands as one of the deadliest non-natural tragedies in the nation's history.
Arab News
23-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Arab News
The owner of a Dominican nightclub whose roof collapsed, killing 232, speaks for the first time
Espaillat told a reporter with El Día news program that employees had added new plasterboard to the roof hours before the collapse'We always bought plasterboard. Always,' said Espaillat, who spoke in a subdued manner throughout the nearly one-hour interviewSAN JUAN, Puerto Rico: A roof that collapsed at a popular nightclub in the Dominican Republic and killed 232 people this month had filtration problems for decades and had been repeatedly fixed with plasterboard, according to its Espaillat, who also serves as manager of the Jet Set nightclub in the Dominican capital of Santo Domingo, spoke with local TV station Telesistema on Wednesday in his first interview since the April 8 told a reporter with El Día news program that employees had added new plasterboard to the roof hours before the noted that plasterboard had fallen repeatedly throughout the years for reasons including water that filtered through the club's air conditioning units. However, Espaillat said no one ever inspected the roof or water filtrations.'We always bought plasterboard. Always,' said Espaillat, who spoke in a subdued manner throughout the nearly one-hour interview.A spokeswoman for Espaillat did not return a message for comment seeking an interview with said he learned about the collapse when his sister called him from underneath the debris, trapped along with hundreds of others attending a concert by beloved merengue singer Rubby Pérez, who was among those killed.'To the families of the victims, I want to say I'm sorry. I'm very sorry,' Espaillat said. 'I am completely destroyed.''We were all surprised'Espaillat said he was 6 years old when his mother founded the legendary club 52 years ago. The club later moved to a space occupied by a shuttered movie theater and remained in that location for 30 years until the said there were six air-conditioning units on the roof, plus three water tanks. An electric plant was installed in an adjacent room, not on the roof, he six to eight years, a specialized crew would waterproof the roof, with the last waterproofing done about a month before the collapse, he heavy woofers that boomed music at Jet Set, known for its merengue parties held every Monday, were on the floor, he said if there was something he could have done to avoid the collapse, he would have done it.'There was no warning, nothing. We were all surprised,' he said.'I'm going to face everything'The Dominican government has created a committee that includes local and international experts tasked with investigating the 515 people were at Jet Set when the roof fell on the crowd, according to the 53 hours following the disaster, crews rescued 189 survivors. Dozens of others were 232 victims include seven doctors; a retired UN official; former MLB players Octavio Dotel and Tony Enrique Blanco Cabrera; and Nelsy Cruz, the governor of Montecristi province and sister of seven-time Major League Baseball All-Star Nelson Cruz,At least three lawsuits have been who said he usually attended Jet Set's Monday merengue parties, was in Las Vegas for a convention when his sister called.'How can a roof collapse?' he recalled wondering as he flew back to the Dominican said he did not immediately visit the site upon arriving because officials worried about his safety, noting that people at the scene were said he hasn't slept much since the disaster, and that he has talked to the families of his employees and some of the victim's relatives.'I'm going to face everything,' he said. 'I'm not going anywhere.'An ongoing investigationThe investigation into what caused the collapse could take a couple of months and has raised questions about the safety of infrastructure across Santo Domingo and is currently no government agency tasked with inspecting the buildings of private businesses in the Dominican Republic, although President Luis Abinader announced last week that new legislation is expected to change Castillo, a structural engineer and vice president of the Society of Engineers of Puerto Rico, said water leaks can be extremely damaging and should be taken care of who is not involved in investigating the collapse, warned that water seeping into the different materials that compose a roof can weigh it down, in addition to whatever else is placed on the roof, including air conditioning air also cause corrosion and roof damage, he said.'Those leaks should have been fixed,' Castillo said, adding that replacing the plasterboard was not enough.
Yahoo
17-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Vigil honors victims of fatal nightclub roof collapse in Dominican Republic
HARLEM, N.Y. (PIX11) — A solemn prayer vigil took place on Wednesday night in Harlem. Clergy gathered to remember the victims of the deadly roof collapse in the Dominican Republic. This happened as the first known lawsuit against the owners of the nightclub, the Dominican government, and the Santo Domingo mayor's office was filed. More Local News Reverend Felipe Ayala Jr is of Dominican Descent. He, along with other Harlem clergy, gathered on Wednesday evening to pray for the 231 victims of the deadly roof collapse in the Dominican Republic. On April 8th, tragedy struck the JetSet Nightclub when the roof collapsed during a merengue concert headlined by Rubby Pérez. More than 400 people were in attendance. 'We are making sure they know they are being lifted up from all the way from the U.S.,' said Reverend Felipe Ayala Jr. from Life Changes Church and Ministries. 'Our community is strong, the DR community here in NYC is strong.' Reverend Robert Rice from Bethel Gospel Assembly added, 'We are coming together as Harlem chaplains' pastors to say we stand with you, Dominican Republic.' The small prayer vigil happened as the family of one of the victims took legal action following the deadly nightclub collapse. The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages and a criminal conviction for involuntary manslaughter against the club's owners. More: Latest News from Around the Tri-State 'We are not only praying for the victims, but with their family,' said Pastor Joshua Jay Mercado from Disaster Response Ministries International. 'If you do the math, it's over a 1000 of them together… so that's why we are here to pray for them.' This week, President Luis Abinader confirmed currently there isn't an agency to oversee the construction of private businesses like the nightclub, adding his administration is working on a bill to change that. 'We don't need to be immediate family to lift those families in prayers and to stand in god for those family members,' said local resident Kyle Melendez. The nightclub owner says he is actively cooperating with the investigation, as the Dominican government launched an investigation with international experts to determine exactly what caused the roof to collapse. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Boston Globe
15-04-2025
- Politics
- Boston Globe
The first lawsuit is filed over the deadly nightclub roof collapse in the Dominican Republic
A spokeswoman for the owners declined to comment except to say they continue to cooperate with authorities. On Monday, President Luis Abinader acknowledged there is no government agency responsible for supervising the construction of private businesses like the nightclub. He said the government is working on a bill to correct that. Advertisement It's not clear what caused the roof to collapse early on April 8. Authorities have launched an investigation and created a technical team with local and international experts. More than 400 people were at the club for a merengue concert headlined by singer Rubby Pérez, who was among the victims. Others killed include former professional baseball players Octavio Dotel and Tony Enrique Blanco Cabrera along with Nelsy Cruz, governor of the northwestern province of Montecristi, whose brother is seven-time Major League Baseball All-Star Nelson Cruz. Crews rescued 189 survivors, with eleven still hospitalized. The government on Monday honored 565 rescue crew members, soldiers, firefighters, doctors and others who helped to save lives.
Arab Times
12-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Arab Times
Burials begin as search ends for victims in Dominican nightclub collapse
SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic, April 12, (AP): A merengue icon, a baseball star and others killed when a cement roof collapsed at a popular nightclub in the Dominican Republic were buried Thursday, as authorities called off the search for bodies with the death toll at 221. Mourners clad in black and white streamed into Santo Domingo's National Theater, where the body of singer Rubby Pérez lay inside a closed coffin. Pérez had been performing on stage at the packed Jet Set club early Tuesday when dust began falling from the ceiling and, seconds later, the roof caved. President Luis Abinader and first lady Raquel Arbaje arrived at the theater and stood beside Pérez's coffin for several minutes. Some mourners doubled over in tears as a recording of Pérez singing the national anthem played. Renowned Dominican musician Juan Luis Guerra was among those gathered to pay their respects. Pérez, 69, had turned to music after a car accident left him unable to pursue his dream of becoming a professional baseball player. He was known for hits including "Volveré," which he sang with Wilfrido Vargas's orchestra, and "Buscando tus besos" as a solo artist. After a five-hour memorial, mourners released dozens of white balloons outside the theater and spontaneously sang "Volveré' in unison. One woman put her hand over her heart and patted it as she cried. At the cemetery, Zulinka Pérez, one of his daughters, said: "I knew he was loved but I never imagined this.' Just blocks from the memorial for Pérez, heavy equipment began withdrawing from the site where Jet Set once stood and rescue crews packed up their equipment. Meanwhile, a group of prosecutors arrived. It is still unclear what caused the roof to collapse or when the building was last inspected. The government has said it will launch a thorough investigation, and the club's owners have said they are cooperating with authorities. Juan Manuel Méndez, director of the Center of Emergency Operations, broke down as he addressed reporters.
