Botafogo youth team bus caught in crossfire during Rio de Janeiro shootout
Jan Novak
Dailysports's expert
A new alarming incident has shaken Rio de Janeiro: the bus carrying Botafogo’s youth team players was caught in the middle of a shootout. Fortunately, none of the footballers or coaching staff were injured, but the event has once again raised serious concerns within the Brazilian football community.
According to TyC Sports, the incident took place on the Linha Amarela highway, near one of the city’s favelas. The bus was returning to the Nilton Santos Stadium after a match against Vasco da Gama in the Rio Cup (U-17) when it was suddenly caught in the crossfire between armed gangs.
During the gunfire, the team remained inside the bus, waiting for police intervention. Once the situation was under control, the vehicle managed to safely reach the stadium. Brazilian sources also report that Botafogo’s first team narrowly avoided the danger zone as well—after learning about the shootout, the professional squad’s bus stopped en route to Mirassol Airport to steer clear of the conflict area.
This incident comes amid a new wave of violence in Rio de Janeiro, where recent weeks have seen fierce clashes linked to drug trafficking. Despite heightened security measures, shootouts on the city’s major highways remain a frequent and troubling occurrence.
