Reggaeton star El Taiger is fighting for his life in Miami after he was mysteriously found shot in the head in a blood-soaked Mercedes Benz that reportedly had gallons of fuel in the trunk.
The 37-year-old Cuban singer, real name José Manuel Carbajal Zaldívar, was discovered in the back of the SUV with a gunshot wound to his forehead in the city’s Allapattah neighborhood early Thursday, Telemundo 51 reported.
The Latin music star was rushed to the nearby Jackson Memorial Health hospital where he remains in critical condition after undergoing brain surgery, his representative, Carlos Alfaro, told the outlet.
El Taiger, who has more than 1 million followers on Instagram, was out on bail after a July bust on armed robbery, assault and cocaine possession charges.
Cops believe he may have been shot somewhere else and then dumped close to the hospital.
“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,” Miami police spokesman Mike Vega told Telemundo.
Two gallons of fuel were also found inside the trunk of the vehicle when the gravely wounded star was found, according to authorities.
“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,” the police spokesman said.
The popular performer was arrested in Miami for drug possession armed robbery in March last year.
He was nabbed again in July on armed robbery, assault and cocaine possession charges — and was out on bail in that case when he was found critically injured this week.
“Everything was going very well,” his lawyer, Greg Chonillo, told Telemundo.
“He was out on bail. We were waiting for the court date and some evidence for the lesser case, when we received this information.”
Police said they currently have no suspects or witnesses.