Drive-By Shooting At Honduran Soccer Games Leaves Three Dead; Goalkeeper Shoots Reporter With Air Gun

September 21, 2010 By Staff

The National Stadium in Tegucigalpa, Honduras.

Today in Latin America

Top Story — Honduran police announced Monday that a drive-by shooting outside Tegucigalpa’s national stadium killed three people.

The shooting took place as around 100 fans of the Motagua club walked toward the stadium for a league match against Real España. Three other people were injured in the shooting, but their medical conditions are not known at the moment.

Police spokesman Leonel Sauceda identified the dead as Francisco Portillo, 22; Jonathan Cruz, 17, and Karol Martínez, 20, according to Sports Illustrated.

Sauceda said that the attackers might have been gang members or supporters of the rival Honduran soccer club Olimpia. Soccer hooligan groups allegedly may have been infiltrated by street gangs like Mara Salvatrucha and La 18, he added.

Sunday’s shooting is at least the fifth similar incident in the last three years in Honduras, which has become most dangerous countries in Central America. It is also the second violent incident relating to the Motagua club in the last week.

On Friday, Motagua goalkeeper Donaldo Morales shot at reporter Saul Carranza with an air gun after the journalist criticized his performances in the sports daily Diez.

Carranza was interviewing midfielder Jorge Claros during Friday’s practice when Morales opened fire, hitting the reporter twice and his own teammate once.

The reporter has since refused to accept Morales’ apology.

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Image: aaronernestoortizlopez @ Flickr.

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