A Peruvian singer, Alezka Thalia Manrique Castillo, 27, was fatally shot during an armed robbery on her band’s tour bus in the early hours of Sunday in Bagua Grande, Peru, after a local performance.
Performing under the stage name Thalia Castillo, she was a member of the Hermanos Guerreros orchestra. According to reports, she was shot while attempting to hide in the tour bus’ bathroom.
Ingrid Vallejo, a fellow band member, reported that at around 5 a.m., six armed attackers stopped the bus as the group was returning from a show at San Martín de Porres.
“My partner wanted to go into the bus bathroom in her instinct to protect herself and the moment she was there, the shot went off,” Vallejo said to the press.
The assailants forced the driver out of the bus and attacked the other band members before shooting Manrique Castillo in the leg and back. They then removed her from the bus and left her in a ditch beside the road, ordering the remaining band members to stay down.
After stealing the band’s musical instruments and performance earnings, the suspects fled. Manrique Castillo died from her injuries while en route to Santiago Apóstol Hospital.
Jair Enrique Manrique, the victim’s brother, informed RPP radio that the Peru National Police have identified the suspects and are waiting for arrest warrants.
Walter Ángeles González, the owner of the Hermanos Guerrero orchestra, confirmed that one of the suspects may have been identified but the authorities are keeping the information confidential to avoid any flight risks. This incident is the first of its kind for the band.
Manrique Castillo had been a part of the band for two months before the incident and was about to complete her degree in business administration. She leaves behind two children, including a nine-year-old son.
“Thalia was a person full of joy, always with a smile,” Vallejo told Radio Exitosa. “Her talent and dedication to music made her special.”
This tragic incident has sparked reactions from Peru’s music community, including the popular Grupo 5, who issued a statement expressing their concern over the country’s security situation.
