Leandro Lo, an eight-time Brazilian jiu-jitsu world champion and a legendary figure in combat sports, has lost his life in an altercation in São Paulo which ended in Lo being shot dead.
According to Combate, Lo was shot in the head during a party at Clube Sírio, in São Paul during the early hours between Saturday and Sunday. The incident report reveals that Henrique Otávio Oliveira Velozo, an off-duty military police officer is the prime suspect.
The altercation started when Velozo grabbed a bottle from the table where Lo was sitting, followed by the 33-year-old BJJ icon taking Velozo down and immobilizing him. However, after the two were separated, the police officer drew his gun and shot Lo in the left side of his forehead.
Lo was immediately taken to the Municipal Hospital Dr. Arthur Ribeiro de Saboya, where he was pronounced brain dead a couple of hours later, confirmed by his family lawyer.
“A 33-year-old jiu-jitsu fighter was shot by an off-duty military policeman, 30, at dawn this Sunday (7), at a club on Avenida Indianópolis, in the Saúde neighborhood, south of the capital. that there was an argument between the two and the policeman shot the victim. The fighter was taken to Saboya Hospital, remaining hospitalized in serious condition. The case was registered as an attempted murder by the 16th DP (Vila Clementino), which is investigating the facts by means of a police investigation. The police authority represented for the preventive arrest of the author before the Justice. The Military Police regrets what happened. The institution has initiated an administrative investigation and collaborates with the searches to locate the author,” an official statement from the São Paulo Public Security Secretariat. [H/T Combate, translated by Google]
May justice be done, rest in peace champion: MMA world laments the death of Leandro Lo
Upon the tragic death of Lo went on air, the mixed martial arts community reacted to the saddening news.
Inacreditável que o Leandro Lo se foi 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭
Unbelievable that Leandro Lo pass away
🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾😭😭😭😭
R.I.P— GILBERT BURNS DURINHO (@GilbertDurinho) August 7, 2022
RIP my brother Leandro Lo ❤️ l pic.twitter.com/ILLISdynhi
— Dillon Danis (@dillondanis) August 7, 2022
Jiu-Jitsu de luto.
RIP Leandro Lo.
😭🙏🏽🥋— Herbert Burns (@HerbertBurnsMMA) August 7, 2022
The word legend is thrown around way to much in sports but it can’t be thrown around enough when it comes to your name in Jiu Jitsu || Leandro Lo, My heart and prayers to your family my brother. Rest easy my friend ❤️🙏🏽 pic.twitter.com/XkLOCXNZHz
— Josh Thomson (@THEREALPUNK) August 7, 2022
Saddened to hear about the tragic loss of Leandro Lo. One of the greatest Jiu Jitsu players ever. Absolutely tragic. My condolences to his family and friends
— John Gooden (@JohnGoodenUK) August 7, 2022
RIP Leandro Lo . Stay safe out there lot of crazy stupid humans out in the world now days.
— Georgi Karakhanyan 🥩 (@georgimma) August 7, 2022
May justice be done, rest in peace champion pic.twitter.com/4besHjAxBT
— マネル・ケイプ Manel Kape (@ManelKape) August 7, 2022
Wow. Unbelievably tragic news about Leandro Lo. RIP to a jiu jitsu legend. Shocking.
— Marc Goddard (@marcgoddard_uk) August 7, 2022
Jiu-jitsu legend Leandro Lo shot to death in Brazil https://t.co/IrA6KkuaDg
Street violence is filled with Uncontrolled emotions
Stupidity
Lack of confidence
WeaknessThis was over a alcohol bottle.
Quite unfortunate …— CharlesAirJourdain (@JourdainAir) August 7, 2022
Aside from his spectular feat of eight BJJ World gold medals,Lo has also clinched numerous titles at the World Cup, the Pan American Championship, as well as the Brazilian National Jiu-Jitsu Championship and earlier this year, won a light heavyweight gold in California. He has also marked notable wins over Gordon Ryan and Gilbert Burns.
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