A young man’s long-awaited dream of attending a reggaeton concert in Puerto Rico ended in heartbreak when his life was tragically cut short.
At just 25 years old, Kevin Mares traveled with his girlfriend, Angy Argüello, and a close friend from Queens, New York, to the island to see Bad Bunny perform in his home country — a trip Kevin had looked forward to for years.
What should have been an unforgettable celebration quickly turned into an unimaginable nightmare. Only hours after the concert, Kevin’s parents received a phone call from Angy. The five words she spoke would change their lives forever.
The Dream He’d Been Waiting For
Kevin and his friends had made the journey to attend Bad Bunny’s residency in Puerto Rico. According to reports from NBC News and CBS New York, after enjoying the August 10, 2025 show, the group headed to a club in La Perla, a famous seaside neighborhood in San Juan.
Tragically, while they were there, a fight erupted nearby. “Somebody got a gun and started shooting, and unfortunately they hit my son in the abdomen,” Kevin’s father, Hector Mares, told reporters. Homicide detective Sergeant Arnaldo Ruiz confirmed that Kevin was merely an innocent bystander caught in the chaos.
The Call No Parent Should Receive
Kevin was rushed to a local hospital, but despite efforts to save him, he passed away. It fell to Angy to break the devastating news to his parents, delivering it in just five crushing words: “I’m sorry. We lost him.”
Speaking with NBC, his mother, Sandra Mares, described the shock. “We couldn’t believe it. We thought it was a joke.” She remembered the family’s cherished weekends — barbecuing hamburgers and hot dogs, singing karaoke — moments now clouded with grief.
Angy’s Public Heartbreak
Angy, who had been in a nearly six-year relationship with Kevin, shared her anguish on Instagram later that same day. “My love, I love you. I miss you so much. Why God did you take him away from me?” she wrote.
She also posted a montage of photos capturing their time together, a tribute to the deep love they shared. The Mares family revealed that Kevin had been planning to propose to her this fall.
A Life Full of Promise
Kevin was described by his family as “a deeply loved son, devoted friend, and a source of inspiration to everyone who knew him.”
For eight years, he had worked at Meadowbrook Veterinary Hospital in Long Island alongside his aunt, Diana Mares. “He loved animals, he was so gentle,” Diana told NBC, adding that he was about to start veterinary school in the fall.
Hector spoke proudly of his son: “Everybody loves him. He was doing well in school, he was working. When he came home, he’d take care of his pets, and he loved cooking.”
The day Kevin left for Puerto Rico, his family said a warm goodbye. “We told him, ‘Goodbye, take care, see you soon, we’re going to miss you.’ We never imagined that would be the last time we saw him,” Hector said.
Seeking Justice
So far, no arrests have been made in connection to the shooting. The Mares family is pleading for anyone with information to come forward and assist Puerto Rican authorities in finding those responsible.
They have also launched a GoFundMe campaign to help cover the costs of transporting Kevin’s body back to New York and arranging his funeral.
Kevin will forever be remembered as a vibrant young man with a passion for life, a deep love for animals, and an unbreakable bond with his family. His future was filled with dreams and plans — but the concert he had so eagerly anticipated became the setting for a tragedy that his loved ones will carry with them forever.