Friday, December 26, 2014

Soccer-Related Violence Claims Another Life in Argentina

12/26/2014

BUENOS AIRES – A man died early Thursday after being shot during a clash between rival groups of soccer fans in the Buenos Aires suburb of Lanus, Argentine police said.

Jose “Gallego” Fernandez was killed by a gunshot to the chest.

The shooting occurred when one faction of extremist fans of the Lanus club ambushed members of a rival group of “ultras,” police sources told the official Telam news agency.

Police arrested the leader of one of the factions, Matias Soto, for possession of an unregistered handgun.

Soto’s father was detained as the suspected shooter, Telam said.

Sport daily Ole offered a different account of the incident, identifying Fernandez as the head of the ultras associated with different club in greater Buenos Aires, Independiente.

In the Ole version, Fernandez was struck by a stray bullet as contending groups of Lanus ultras fought each other.

Violence among ultras has persisted in Argentine soccer despite the adoption of drastic measures such as barring visiting-club fans from matches.

Last month saw four people die in soccer-related violence in less than a week.


source

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