Tottenham Hotspur defender Emerson Royal escaped unscathed a shooting while on holiday in Sao Paulo, Brazil. The footballer's father claimed that "probably 20 shots" were fired by the assailant. (More Football News)
Gun violence is common in Brazil. In 2020, the South American country recorded over 40,000 gun deaths.
Tottenham Hotspur defender Emerson Royal escaped unscathed a shooting while on holiday in Sao Paulo, Brazil. The footballer's father claimed that "probably 20 shots" were fired by the assailant. (More Football News)
Emerson, 23, was taking photos with an off-duty Brazilian police officer outside a nightclub moments when he was targeted.
The incident happened Friday morning.
Reports claimed that the police officer was forced to draw his own weapon, and over 20 shots were fired. A bullet hit the assailant in the back, and he was undergoing hospital treatment.
His father, Emerson de Souza, told Globo Esporte: “I was celebrating and on the way out, this whole affair happened, which was very bad. A horror scene indeed. I don't wish that on anyone.
"He [the policeman] went, as usual, with Royal to the car and when he realised there was a robbery and the criminal was pointing the gun at Emerson, at the time the criminal got distracted, the policeman started to exchange shots with him. It all happened very fast, there were probably 20 shots."
Emerson later thanked the police officer.
Emerson joined the English Premier League outfit from Barcelona last season. The Brazilian made 41 appearances for Antonio Conte's side.
"I will be forever grateful to you," he wrote in an Instagram post. "God sends angels to earth, this is confirmed every day in my life. This human being, I call him an angel, risked his own life to save mine."
Gun violence is common in Brazil. In 2020, the South American country recorded over 40,000 gun deaths.