Posted on 08/06/2016 1:05:58 PM PDT by LittleSpotBlog
Rio de Janeiro—Aug. 6
A shot was fired today into the equestrian media center at the Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games. No one was injured.
The media center is a large semi-permanent tent fewer than 50 meters from the field of play. The shot was fired around 1:13 p.m. local time, during the lunch break on Day 1 of eventing dressage.
Over 100 members of the equestrian media were finishing up lunch and getting ready to return to photograph the competition when a loud bang startled the room.
“I looked up because I thought that a light unit had fallen down or that someone had dropped a camera,” said British freelance photographer Jon Stroud. “Then I looked on the floor and saw the bullet and was gobsmacked.”
Stroud snapped photos of the large caliber bullet, which landed two meters behind him.
“The press officers radioed security or the military, and there was a discussion about what happened,” said Stroud.
No members of the military police, security force or any other official interviewed Stroud, only “every television, radio network and newspaper in the world.”
“In European culture we expect this would immediately become a crime scene,” he continued. “No one was evacuated. Work continued as normal.”
The afternoon session continued uninterrupted, with few aware of the situation.
But when word got out, non-equestrian news teams flooded into the tent ahead of a 4:45p.m. press conference on the incident.
The equestrian Olympic venue is situated in Deodoro area in the North Zone of Rio de Janeiro, far from the touristy neighborhoods near the beach. Deodoro is one of four major regions of the city hosting Olympic events like modern pentathlon, BMX, shooting, mountain biking, and other sports. The National Equestrian Center, built for the 2007 Pan American Games, only hosts horse sports. It is located near the National Shooting Center, where the Olympic shooting is taking place.
The region has a strong military influence, home to Brazil’s largest barracks and multiple military schools, and Deodoro hosted the 2011 World Military Games. There is a strong military and police presence inside and around the venue.
Deodoro is also a vibrant, friendly community, all of whom came out to watch the torch pass through Aug. 4.
This story will be updated as more information becomes available.
Rio may just take the prize as this week’s definition of fustercluck.
Probably from a starter’s “Glock” at one of the track and field events.
It’s just all the beans and rice
“In European culture we expect this would immediately become a crime scene,” he continued. “No one was evacuated. Work continued as normal.”
Should be an interesting Olympics :)
Seriously, though, anybody have an update on the swimming competition and the state of the water they will be swimming in?
I know this is a dumb question but dont they swim in pools??
What does it matter if a river is filthy?
Apparently a gobsmacking fustercluck at that!...
bad security & it’s a bloodbath that’s waiting to happen if these “Rio” police don’t get their “sh*te in orderm get on the ball & start kicking some serious arse.
‘Gobsmacking Fustercluck’ would be a great band name. 8~)
It’s only 5,298 miles from Chicago to Rio. It was probably just a stray bullet from some crazed American NRA bible-thumping conservative gun nut. Everyone knows that bullets from fully-automatic assault rifles travel very far.
A full page and they didn’t say anything...lol
Deodoro is also a vibrant, friendly community,...
Sounds like a wonderful place /s
Rio is completely safe. The only time the natives get a little out of hand is on Fat Tuesday. They’re so religious.
equestrian event eh....?....just preparing an equestrian for the knacker yard.
A shot was fired and the bullet is just found lying on the ground behind this guy? Weird. Where’s the photo? I half expect to see a shell casing, since these guys generally don’t even know what they’re looking at.
Oh, was I supposed to put a blank in there? Fiddlesticks!
Triathlon and marathon swimming don’t take place in a pool.
The biggest concern have been for the open water events which include sailing, rowing, canoeing, triathlon, and, yes, open water swimming.
But a few days before the start, the practice pool suddenly turned cloudy and the Australian team moved it’s premier swimmers into the performance pool to practice.
Yeah, this should be interesting.
Don’t worry. Bob Costas has armed security.
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