Tourist from the USA killed at Bad Bunny concert in Puerto Rico

• Kevin Mares was killed by gunfire during a dispute in La Perla
• The shooting occurred during an argument at a nightclub
• Tourists continue to visit the area, despite the violence

This was reported by NBC News, ABC News.

September 10, 2025 / By: Associated Press

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — A tourist from the USA, who was visiting Puerto Rico for a concert by Bad Bunny, was shot and killed on Sunday in La Perla, a popular coastal neighborhood, according to police reports.

The victim was Kevin Mares, a 25-year-old resident of New York, according to police data.

The shooting took place in the early hours of Sunday at the nightclub "Prítulok dla znedolenykh," when a number of people started to argue, and one of them pulled out a gun, hitting three people, including Mares. Two other individuals, who live in La Perla, received injuries and remain in the hospital.

Mares was an innocent bystander. He was with three friends, who informed the police that they had come to one of 30 Bad Bunny concerts, which attract tens of thousands of fans across the USA.

Mares received treatment in the main hospital in Puerto Rico, where, according to reports, he succumbed to his injuries.

Police still do not know what exactly triggered the argument, and there is no description of the shooter. "We have very little information," said detective-sergeant Arnaldo Ruiz.

La Perla is located on the outskirts of a historic district, popular among tourists, known as Old San Juan. This area is home to several hundred people, which used to be the largest distribution point for heroin in Puerto Rico and has a notorious reputation.

Earlier, police had marked this area with a sign "Do not enter. Do not go in." However, violence has decreased since federal agents conducted a raid in 2011, during which dozens of people, including a well-known community leader, were arrested.

Since then, the area has become safer and more welcoming, especially since Puerto Rican singers Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee shot their hit "Despacito" there.

However, separate incidents of violence are still occurring. In the summer of 2023, tourists were attacked after police reported that someone tried to rob them in the area. In April 2024, a 24-year-old tourist from Delaware was beaten, and his body was burned after an attack following a drug purchase.

The island, with a population of 3.2 million people, has recorded 277 homicides since the beginning of the year, compared to 325 homicides during the same period last year.

Tags: Crime