San Juan (Puerto Rico), Jan 11 (IANS): Kevin Fret, who is known by many as the first openly gay Latin trap artist, was shot dead here. The crime is under investigation.

The 24-year-old singer was killed early on Thursday, reports aceshowbiz.com.

According to Puerto Rican newspaper El Nuevo Dia, Fret was riding a motorcycle in the Santurce neighborhood at about 5:30 a.m. when he was shot at eight times. He was then taken to the Rio Piedras Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.

His death is the 22nd homicide in Puerto Rico in 2019, part of what local officials call a "crisis of violence".

Fret's manager, Eduardo Rodrigues, confirmed the death of his client through an official press statement.

"Kevin was an artistic soul, a big-hearted dreamer. His passion was music, and still had a lot to do. This violence must stop. There are no words that describe the feeling we have and the pain that causes us to know that a person with so many dreams has to go," he said.

Rodrigues added: "We must all unite in these difficult times, and ask for much peace for our beloved Puerto Rico."

An outspoken advocate for the LGBTQ community, Fret first stepped into the Latin music world in early 2018 with "Soy Asi", a song that highlighted his fierce personality. The music video has garnered more than a half million views on YouTube.