El Taiger has tragically died at 37, a statement from his social media has confirmed, one week after the Cuban reggaeton star was found in Miami with a gunshot wound to his head. According to reports, the police are still seeking leads related to a possible suspect or motive for El Taiger's shooting, and authorities have already singled out at least one individual.
On Oct. 3, El Taiger, whose real name is Jose Manuel Carbajal Zaldivar, was found unresponsive in the back of an SUV within Miami city limits after he had suffered the gunshot wound; he was immediately taken to nearby Jackson Memorial Hospital in extremely critical condition, as NBC 6 South Florida reported. There, he was placed in a medically induced coma, and he survived in that state for the next seven days.
Hope for recovery was initially tentative. The day after the shooting, a spokesperson for El Taiger underscored the gravity of the situation to E! News, explaining, "As of now, he is in a critical state. He has undergone surgery, and the medical team has placed him in an induced coma to facilitate the healing process of his brain and reduce inflammation."
El Taiger ultimately succumbed to his injuries, however, as his representatives confirmed on Thursday (Oct. 10) in an update that stated the singer had now joined his late mother. Later that day, in the singer's birthplace of Havana, Cuba, fans began lighting candles next to photos of El Taiger in tribute to the musician.
"Sadly, this afternoon, El Taiger was pronounced dead and has now been reunited with his beloved mother in heaven," the statement in Spanish said on the singer's Instagram, as translated by E! News. "His family would like to express their sincere gratitude to the medical team at Jackson Memorial Hospital for their tireless efforts, as well as the millions who offered prayers and tributes during his hospitalization."
While asking for privacy for the singer's family, the statement added, "Although this news is both shocking and heartbreaking, we encourage El Taiger fans to honor his memory by celebrating the joy he brought to so many. Turn up your music, dance, and celebrate your life."
Last week, a spokesperson for the Miami police, Mike Vega, told Telemundo 51 that the authorities didn't think El Taiger was wounded at the location where he was found near Northwest 9th Avenue and 17th Street. "We are certain it did not happen on that corner where the car was found," he said. "This happened somewhere else, someone drove it there, left it, and left on foot."
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Police started investigating after suspecting that someone else was present with El Taiger in the vehicle. This week, Miami Police Chief Manuel Morales announced that 49-year-old Damien Valdez-Galloso was wanted for questioning in connection with the shooting.
"We are not certain if there's any other individuals that are related to the investigation that might be out there," Morales explained. "But for now we need to speak to this gentleman today so if the public can help us out it will definitely help this investigation."
El Taiger is known for his contributions to reggaeton, the eclectic style of popular dance music that evolved from dancehall and incorporates elements of hip-hop, Latin American, and Caribbean music. He has collaborated with several fellow reggaeton artists on numerous songs and remixes since 2017. His family said that details about a memorial service for El Taiger are forthcoming.
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