New York City native Kevin Mares was killed Sunday in the La Perla neigborhood of San Juan, Puerto Rico. The 25-year-old was visiting the island to see a Bad Bunny concert.
Mares was fatally shot in the early morning hours, outside of a nightclub called Shelter for Mistreated Men. The shooting took place when several people near Mares began arguing and one pulled out a gun and shot at least three people, the Associated Press reported.
Homicide detective Sgt. Arnaldo Ruiz told the AP that Mares was an innocent bystander in the situation and that a pair of siblings from La Perla remain hospitalized after being shot. No arrests have yet been made.
Mares was joined by his girlfriend and two friends in Puerto Rico. It was his partner who ended up delivering the news of his death to Mares’ parents.
“I said, ‘What happened?’ She said, ‘I’m sorry. We lost him,’ ” Hector Mares, Kevin’s father, told CBS News New York.
“Whoever did this, took from us a piece of us, you know?” Kevin’s mother, Sandra Mares, added.
A longtime Bad Bunny fan, Mares and his friends were consistently in attendance of the “La Mudanza” singer’s concerts and had been prepping for their San Juan trip for months.
“Every time Bad Bunny comes here, they go to most all of his concerts,” Sandra Mares said.
Mares — whose parents are originally from Mexico — was born and raised in the East Elmhurst neighborhood of Queens and was studying to be a veterinarian at LaGuardia Community College.
“He got a lot of dreams. He was working as a vet technician. And at the same time he was studying,” his father told ABC 7 New York.
“He was about to propose to [his girlfriend] this fall. Yeah. He wanted to do something special. He shared that with us,” his mother added. “He was a lovely son. He cared about all of us, his family, friends. He has a lot of friends who’s really going to miss him, too.”
Now, the Mares family is asking for anyone with information about the shooter and more specifics about the incident to please step forward.
“What we’re asking the people is, if anybody knows what happened, who did this, [to say something],” his mother told CBS. “We don’t know [anything]. We want justice.”
The family is currently making efforts toward having Mares’ body returned home, but it remains in Puerto Rico as the investigation into his death is still ongoing.
Kevin’s father started a GoFundMe to raise enough money — the campaign’s target is currently $50,000 — to plan Kevin’s funeral arrangements.
“Kevin Mares was a deeply loved son, devoted friend, and a source of inspiration to everyone who knew him. His wholehearted kindness, adventurous spirit, and unwavering commitment to family made him a pillar of strength for his loved ones,” the GofundMe page states. “Family was at the center of everything he did, and his sudden passing has left an unfillable void in our lives. … Your support will help us honor Kevin’s memory and give him the farewell he deserves.”
