Russian vice-consul reportedly shoots mugger dead in Rio

August 7, 2016

The  for  &mdash; by reports disputed by the Russian Consul &mdash; shot and killed an attacker on Thursday, after two individuals attempted to commit a robbery.

As reported, lawyer Marcos Cesar Feres Braga &mdash; so-named by the  newspaper &mdash; working for the , was driving with his family through the suburb of  near the main  complex when the incident occurred. According to reports from the Rio newspaper, the 60-year-old man, his wife, and his daughter were stopped in traffic due to the procession in a nearby neighbourhood. Two individuals on motorbikes approached and used a gun to smash the car window. Braga, trained and considered an expert &mdash; according to reports &mdash; in, took control of the attacker's firearm and proceeded to shoot dead the alleged attacker, while the second suspect fled the scene.

Rio de Janeiro's homicide branch has released a statement in relation to the incident. "The vice consul got into a physical struggle with the assailant and during the fight the aggressor's weapon fired shots. The assailant died of his wounds on the spot."

However, Russia's Consul General Vladimir Tokmakov has released a statement claiming no Russian diplomats or employees of the consulate general were involved in the incident. "Information circulating in the Brazilian press about the alleged shooting [...] of a Brazilian national by a Russian diplomat during an armed robbery does not reflect reality".