TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Enrique Mercado, who many called "Kix Merc," will be remembered as a father, brother, friend, adventurer and occasional freestyle rapper.
“My dad was the coolest, funnest, most adventurous guy I know," said Enrique's daughter Paris Mercado. She said he'd been an avid cyclist for as long as she could remember.
"He’d take me and my brother biking from sun up to sundown," she said. "He was very passionate about his bike, and riding, and trails and trail safety.”
He was killed Tuesday while on a group bike ride along the Chuck Huckleberry Loop, rattling the cycling community, especially the nearly 8,000 members of Facebook group Tuesday Night Ride or TNR.
The group—which boasts nearly 8,000 members on Facebook—meets weekly for evening group rides and shares cycling-related tips and jokes online.
After Mercado was attacked Tuesday night, their posts called for something to be done about what they say is rising drug use and security concerns along The Loop.
“As a collective group of cyclists, I hope we all call out to the city for changes on these bike paths," one user wrote in the Tuesday Night Ride Facebook group.
“Please Call the mayor’s office,” another posted. “You can get a lot done when we are all on the same page.”
Many shared ion the comments that they had experienced issues with open drug use along the path as well, with some saying they'll avoid certain areas of The Loop even in broad daylight.
Though a few members of the group said they were reaching out to the city to share their concerns, Tucson Parks and Recreation told KGUN 9 that maintenance and management of the Chuck Huckleberry Loop— a 138 mile trail that runs through parts of Marana, Oro Valley, Tucson, and South Tucson— is the responsibility of Pima County.
A spokesperson for the county sent a statement:
"The County takes public safety seriously and frequently works with our regional partners and County departments to ensure the public is safe when using the Loop. There are complex societal and public safety issues affecting many areas of our community, and there are no easy solutions to many of them. We will continue to work with regional partners to address these issues.”
Tucson Police says the suspect ran from the scene. Anyone with information is asked to call 88-CRIME.
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Alex Dowd is a multimedia journalist at KGUN 9, where her work combines her two favorite hobbies: talking to new people and learning about the community around her. Her goal is to eventually meet every single person in Tucson. Share your story ideas with Alex via email, alex.dowd@kgun9.com, or connecting on Instagram or X.
