Police in Puerto Rico have made an arrest tied to the fatal shooting of a US tourist who was visiting the island for a Bad Bunny concert — as new details about the tragic case emerged Monday.

Kenneth Giovanni Estrada Melendez is believed to have been the intended target of gunmen who opened fire inside a bar near Old San Juan on Sunday, killing 25-year-old Queens resident Kevin Mares, local reports said.

Melendez, 27, was picked up on a drug warrant after fleeing the scene, Puerto Rico’s El Vocero reported.

Mares, who was on vacation with his longtime girlfriend, was at the bar, called El Refugio Para Hombres Maltratados — Spanish for “the refuge for mistreated men” — in the downtrodden neighborhood of La Perla when a scuffle resulted in gunfire shortly before 4:15 a.m., the outlet said.

4 Victim Kevin Mares was hit by a stray bullet, according to local cops. GoFundMe

According to police, it was Melendez who was being targeted when Mares and two other bystanders were hit.

Mares was pronounced dead at a local hospital while the other two — identified in local reports as siblings Miguel and Keila Melendez Beltran, 46 and 46, respectively — were expected to survive.

According to the news outlet El Nuevo Dia, Melendez, who is related to the two wounded victims, was sought on a warrant for a 2022 drug sale to an undercover cop.

4 Kevin Mares, 25, planned to propose to longtime girlfriend Angy Nicole Arguello before he was shot and killed. Instagram/angy.arguello

Police investigating the fatal shooting tracked him down in the La Trocha neighborhood in Vega Baja around noon on Monday, the outlet reported.

Cops have not identified the suspected shooter and it is unclear what sparked the beef between Melendez and the gunman that led to Mares’ killing.

4 A picture Mares took and posted to his Instagram before the fatal shooting. Instagram / Kevin Mares

4 Kevin Mares was at a bar in the La Perla neighborhood near Old San Juan when he was killed by a stray bullet. Bloomberg via Getty Images

Mares was on the Caribbean island with Angy Nicole Arguello — his girlfriend of seven years, whom he had been planning on proposing to — to attend the popular rapper’s performance, according to reports.

His stray-bullet death has left his family devastated.

“It’s very hard,” his father, Hector Mares, told The Post Monday. “We’re still in pain. He was a beautiful person.”

The family launched a GoFundMe.org page is seeking donations to bring their loved one’s body home to the Big Apple.

A suspect was arrested for the murder of NYC tourist Kevin Mares in Puerto Rico, shot while enjoying a night out.

www.cbsnews.com

A suspect has been arrested in the tragic shooting death of a New York City man during his vacation in Puerto Rico. The incident occurred on August 10, 2025, when 25-year-old Kevin Mares was struck by a stray bullet while enjoying a night out in La Perla.

6 Key Takeaways Suspect arrested for NYC man’s shooting death

Victim was a tourist in Puerto Rico

Suspect has a criminal record

Incident occurred in La Perla community

Previous violence incidents reported in La Perla

Defense questions charges against the suspect

Kalel Jorell Martínez Bristol, 37, turned himself in to authorities and faces serious charges, including first-degree murder. Mares was reportedly an innocent bystander caught in a violent altercation that left two others injured. This incident raises questions about safety for tourists in popular destinations.

Fast Answer: A suspect has been arrested for the shooting death of NYC tourist Kevin Mares in Puerto Rico, highlighting ongoing safety concerns for travelers.

This tragic event prompts US to consider: How safe are our travel destinations? With rising violence in certain areas, tourists must remain vigilant. Key points include:

Tourist safety is increasingly at risk in popular locales.

Recent incidents in La Perla raise alarms about violence against visitors.

Authorities must enhance security measures to protect tourists.

The recent shooting underscores the urgent need for improved safety protocols in tourist hotspots worldwide.

As travelers, we must stay informed and prioritize safety when exploring new destinations. Will you take extra precautions on your next trip?

A 37-year-old man with a criminal record turned himself in to police on Friday and was charged in the recent killing of a tourist from the U.S. mainland who had flown to Puerto Rico for Bad Bunny’s residency.

Kalel Jorell Martínez Bristol faces charges including first-degree murder, according to a statement from Puerto Rico’s Justice Department.

Police have said the 25-year-old victim, Kevin Mares of New York, was an innocent bystander when he was struck by a bullet early Sunday while at a nightspot with friends in the seaside community of La Perla.

New York City resident Kevin Mares, 25, was struck by a stray bullet and killed while on vacation in Puerto Rico on Aug. 10, 2025. Sandra Mares

Authorities accused Martínez Bristol of pulling out a gun and firing it while arguing with people near Mares. Two people, a brother and a sister who live in La Perla, were injured.

Defense attorney Pedro Rivera told reporters that he was “very surprised” authorities didn’t file attempted murder charges, saying that casts doubt over the entire case.

Martínez Bristol is being held on an $800,000 bond.

The community of La Perla is located on the outskirts of Old San Juan and once served as Puerto Rico’s biggest distribution point for heroin. It became popular with tourists after Puerto Rican singers Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee featured the community in their hit “Despacito.”

But isolated violence persists.

In February 2023, three tourists were stabbed after police said a person told them to stop filming inside the community.

Then, in April 2024, a 24-year-old tourist from Delaware was killed and his body set on fire after police said he and a friend were attacked following a drug purchase. Police said the victims were trying to take pictures of La Perla after being warned not to do so.

BEAUFORT COUNTY, S.C. (WSAV) — The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) arrested a man Monday after a search warrant was executed at his home in Beaufort County that revealed dogs were being used for fighting.

Spencer Lamont Moultrie, 54 years old, was arrested and charged with animal fighting or baiting and ill treatment of animals.

Spencer Lamont Moultrie, 54

Beaufort parents seek info on their child’s case, end up with thousands of private unredacted records

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10 dogs were rescued and placed with the Humane World for Animals organization for veterinary care.

The arrest warrant details that nine of the 10 dogs found on property had a scar pattern consistent with organized dogfighting, after being examined by a vet.

Beaufort parents seek info on their child’s case, end up with thousands of private unredacted records

SLED was assisted by the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office and the Hampton County Sheriff’s Office.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WSAV-TV.

(Alejandro Granadillo / Associated Press)

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.

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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.

Read more: Bad Bunny fan who visited Puerto Rico for concert is fatally shot, police say

“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.

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“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.

Read more: Eddie Palmieri, a champion of Latin jazz, dies at 88

“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.”

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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.”

Read more: Bad Bunny’s residency gives local artists the chance to tell Puerto Rico’s real history

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.

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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.”

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.