MIAMI, United States. – Cuban reggaeton singer José Manuel Carvajal, known artistically as El Taiger, is in critical condition after being shot in the head. Marcel Reinosa, his manager, confirmed that the artist “is fighting for his life” and that he is currently under artificial respiration at Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami. “The official condition is that he is critical,” Reinosa said in an interview with Enrique Santos.
Incident details
Taiger was found Thursday morning in the back of an SUV, with a gunshot wound to his forehead. The Police of Miami reported that the vehicle was found just a few blocks from the hospital, suggesting that someone attempted to take him to receive medical care, but abandoned him before arriving. “They found his body in the trunk of the car and apparently someone was driving. “They tried, I guess they tried to take him to the hospital, but they didn’t and they just left him a couple of blocks from Jackson,” Reinosa detailed.
Medical condition
The shot that El Taiger received entered through the front of his head and exited through the right side. Despite the severity of the injury, Reinosa explained that the brain damage has been limited: “They shot him in the front of the head and it came out the side on the right side, it did not affect the left side, only the right. The part of the brain that recognizes people and memory is intact until now, it is still a miracle that it has survived, that it is alive.” However, his condition remains very delicate, and doctors have warned that the prognosis is uncertain.
Suicide rumors denied
After El Taiger’s condition was known, speculation arose on social networks about a possible suicide attempt. Both Reinosa and Nelson Martínez, the reggaeton singer’s former manager, have completely denied these rumors. “That is false, completely false,” Martínez stated, adding that El Taiger “loved life, he is not going to kill himself.” For his part, Reinosa reinforced this version by saying: “I can’t say that he took his life because he was in the trunk of the car, so how would he take his life?”
Police investigation underway
Miami Police are conducting an investigation into the incident, which is being treated as an attempted homicide. According to El Taiger’s manager, the Police already have a person of interest under observation, but so far no charges have been filed. “After we verified with [el hospital] Jackson, they didn’t want to give us information either since it was a [intento de] homicide, they are very delicate,” Reinosa explained about the difficulty of obtaining precise details. Authorities have announced that they plan to release more information about the case in the coming days.
Reserved forecast
Doctors at Jackson Memorial Hospital have indicated that El Taiger’s condition is delicate. “The prognosis is to wait, we have to wait, it is a waiting game right now, no one can predict because the last thing that is lost is faith,” said Reinosa.
Reactions from friends and fans
The news has caused a great impact among El Taiger’s friends and followers, who gathered outside the hospital to show their support and pray for his recovery. “He is fighting for his life right now. He is still alive, thank God, and we are praying for him,” said Nelson Martínez. Fans of the reggaeton singer, known for his style in Cuban urban music and for having accumulated millions of views on YouTube, have also expressed their concern and support through social networks.
