Sergio 'El Shaka' Vega Dead at 40: Confirmed

by Jordan Yerman | June 28, 2010 at 09:36 am

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Sergio Vega: El Shaka Killed Just after Dispelling Fake Death Rumor

Mexican singer El Shaka, born Sergio Vega, was killed on his way to a concert on June 26. Gunmen pursued Vega's red Cadillac, shooting at him from their own car. The Cadillac crashed, at which point the gunmen closed in to continue shooting Vega at close range.

Sergio Vega was known for his narcocorridos, songs celebrating the actions and lives of drug kingpins; drug gangs are blamed for Vega's murder. The shooting took place in Sinaloa, a hotbed of narcotrafficking. El Shaka's passenger, Montiel Sergio Avila, survived the shooting with severe injuries.

El Shaka was part of the band Los Reyes del Norte.

Mexican media reported Mr Vega was driving his red Cadillac on Saturday night when a truck started following him.

Shortly afterwards, shots were fired at the car, injuring Mr Vega and making him lose control of the vehicle and crashing it, his passenger told El Debate newspaper.

Strangely, El Shaka's murder followed a fake death rumor which Vega had dispelled:

"It's happened to me for years now, someone tells a radio station or a newspaper I've been killed, or suffered an accident," he said. "And then I have to call my dear mum, who has heart trouble, to reassure her."