Honduras national team soccer player Arnold
Peralta has been shot dead while on vacation in his home country, officials
said Thursday.
Peralta, 26, was shot in a shopping mall parking
lot in La Ceiba, but no suspects have been identified.
"We won't rest until those responsible for
this act are identified and detained so that they can face justice," the
government said.
Authorities did not say what day Peralta was
killed and have ruled out robbery as a motive, since Peralta's belongings were
not taken from him.
The 26-year-old played as a midfielder for the
Honduras national team and for C.D. Olimpia, a club based in Honduras' capital,
Tegucigalpa.
Among his former club teams was Scotland's Rangers
F.C., which he left in January after arriving in the summer of 2013.
The Glasgow club said it would observe a minute of
silence for Peralta before its home match Saturday against Greenock Morton F.C.
Honduras has topped the list for the world's
highest murder rate in recent years, the U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime has
said.
International teammate Boniek Garcia -- who plays
for Houston Dynamo in MLS -- was one of the first to pay tribute.
"Rest in peace brother, God will receive you
in heaven, you will stay in our hearts. Strength to the family," he
tweeted.
His club Olimpia also paid its respects.
"We deeply regret the death of our player
Arnolt Peralta. The Olimpia family is in mourning," it said on the club's
Twitter page.
MLS side Seattle Sounders was another club to pay
its condolences.
"Our thoughts go out to Olimpia and the
friends and family of Arnold Peralta," they said.
Another international teammate, and former Premier
League star, Hendry Thomas paid tribute.
"What sad news. Rest in peace Arnold."
No comments:
Post a Comment