Reggaeton singer 'El Taiger' dead at 37 after being shot in the head

David Matthews, New York Daily News on Oct 10, 2024

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MIAMI — Cuban reggaeton artist "El Taiger" died Thursday at the age of 37, one week after he was found in Miami with a gunshot wound to the head.

The singer, who was born José Manuel Carbajal Zaldívar, died Thursday afternoon, according to a statement posted on his Instagram Story.

His family thanked the staff at Miami’s Jackson Memorial Hospital for trying to save his life and thanked his fans for their unwavering support.

“These last few days have been incredibly difficult for those who loved him, and the support received from around the world has meant a lot,” the statement read. “While this news is both shocking and heartbreaking, we encourage fans of El Taiger to honor his memory by celebrating the joy he brought to so many. … Taiger was the voice of the people, and now we must keep that feeling alive through his music and his legacy.”

El Taiger’s cousin Jorge “Junior” Hernández Carvajal, also a popular reggaeton singer, said in video on Facebook that he died around 12:40 p.m..

El Taiger was rushed to the hospital in critical condition in the early hours of Oct. 4 after he was found with a gunshot wound to the head in a Mercedes-Benz in Miami’s Allapattah neighborhood, according to People en Espanol.

He immediately underwent surgery but had suffered significant brain damage and was in the hospital’s ICU for the remainder of his stay.

The circumstances surrounding the shooting remain under investigation by the Miami police. Damian Valdez-Galloso was publicly identified as a person of interest earlier this week. He currently remains at large.

El Taiger, best known for the songs “Coronamos,” “Invictos,” and “Hear Me,” was previously arrested in Miami for drug possession and armed robbery in March 2023.

On July 28 of this year, he was arrested again in Miami for armed robbery, assault and cocaine possession.