Cuban Reggaeton singer El Taiger, real name Jose Manual Carbajal Zaldivar, was rushed to the hospital in Miami after suffering a gunshot to the head. According to E! News, the singer was discovered with a gunshot wound to his head and taken to Miami’s Jackson Memorial Hospital.
“As of now, he is in a critical state,” the singer’s rep said. “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.”
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Miami Police Spokesperson Mike Vega spoke to Telemundo 51 and said police found the unresponsive singer in the back of an SUV close to the hospital. He had a gunshot wound in his forehead, but police said the shooting did not happen in the car.
“We know there was a lot of blood inside the SUV. He was in the back, and officers had to open the back of the SUV to get him out,” Vega said. “Our officers are investigating because we believe this did not happen in the city of Miami. We are certain it did not happen on that corner where the car was found. This happened somewhere else, someone drove it there, left it and left on foot.”
Police are still seeking a motive for the shooting. The singer’s lawyer added that there was “some evidence that may suggest that there was another person who was with him.”
According to TMZ, Miami-Dade County court records cited by local news note Taiger had two criminal cases opened against him over the summer. He was released on bail and pleaded not guilty to the charges of strong-arm robbery, battery and a misdemeanor on resisting an officer.