Three people are wanted for the assassination of two leaders of an ultra group of Argentine supporters, killed by gunfire on Saturday outside the club's stadium in Rosario, in the north of the country, local authorities announced on Monday.
Andrés “Pillin” Bracamonte, 53 years old, historical leader of the “barrabrava” of Rosario Centraland Daniel “Rana” Atardo, 55, his main collaborator, were in a vehicle when “at least three people” on foot shot at them, announced at a press conference Alejandro Ferlazzo, prosecutor of the province of Santa Fe to which Rosario belongs, 300 km north of Buenos Aires.
Each was hit by five bullets at the end of the match lost by Rosario Central in his stadium against San Lorenzoas part of the Argentine 1st division championship.
“There are a lot of eyewitnesses”declared Mr. Ferlazzo, who launched a call for collaboration with justice “by guaranteeing maximum discretion and security”. The “barrabravas” are mafia organizations linked to several of the country's best football clubs.
Mr. Ferlazzo regretted that the club Rosario Central “does not have any video recording” due to a power outage that occurred at the time of the attack “which the authors took advantage of, although we do not exclude any other hypothesis”.
“We want to be measured and get answers as quickly as possible”declared the acting regional prosecutor, Matias Merlo, facing the fear of reprisals between rival gangs in a city under the control of drug traffickers.
Bracamonte, who was banned from attending football matches Rosario because of his history of violence, had for more than 25 years been at the head of the ultra group of supporters of Rosario central. “He had been the target of 29 attempted murders”declared Pablo Cococcioni, Minister of Justice and Security of the province of Santa Fe, during the same press conference.
Generally attributed to settling of scores within the “barrabrava”, these previous episodes “go beyond the sole question of the management of Rosario Central supporters and spread to various illegal activities”underlined prosecutor Merlo.
Andres “Pillin” Bracamonte was involved in various cases of extortion, criminal conspiracy and money laundering, he recalled.
Rosario (1.2 million inhabitants), the third largest city in the country, has been the Argentine city with the most homicides over the last decade, but since the beginning of the year the number of murders has been reduced by half. Threats against footballers Angel Di Maria or family members of Lionel Messithe country's famous children, had placed the city in the media spotlight.
