Police are investigating after a 19-year-old footballer was found dead following a shooting during a hunting trip in Argentina. The case has been provisionally listed as a suspected murder.
Matias Exequiel Soto, who played for Club Comercio Plaza in Argentina, was discovered lying on the ground in a remote rural area with no signs of life. His friend, also 19, was standing nearby and told officers the victim had accidentally shot himself.
Friend detained as police examine account
The friend claimed the footballer managed to stagger several metres after being hit before collapsing to the ground. Officers arrived to find the young player dead on the ground, while his companion remained at the scene.
The friend, named in local reports as Leonardo German Garcia, has been detained as investigators examine his account and the exact circumstances of the shooting.
Club pays tribute to young player
The shooting took place near the El Sol Estate while the pair were hunting on Saturday afternoon, October 10.
A spokesman for Club Comercio Plaza, based in the Presidencia de la Plaza area of Chaco Province, said: "Today we have to say goodbye to a much-loved person and sportsman. Matias wore and defended our colours with passion, commitment and camaraderie, leaving an indelible mark on the hearts of those who shared the pitch and dressing room with him."
Investigation ongoing
The investigation, led by the No. 3 Prosecutor’s Office in Resistencia under Dr Rosana Soto, is still under way as specialists carry out tests to establish how the fatal shot was fired. No results have yet confirmed the friend's claim that Matías shot himself by accident.
Family, team-mates and local residents have been left in shock by the death of the promising young player. The investigation continues.
