Leandro Lo Shot In Head: Leandro Lo, one of Brazil’s greatest jiu-jitsu champions of all time, was fatally shot at a So Paulo club on Sunday, his family’s lawyer said. The BBC quoted local police as saying that Lou was allegedly shot by an off-duty police officer, who is now absconding.
The outlet further stated in its report that the fighter was taken to a local hospital where he was declared brain dead. Lo won the International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation (IBJJF) world title from 2012 to 2022 in five different weight classes – an all-time record.
The 33-year-old martial arts champion was out with friends for an event at Club Syria, a sports and social club in Brazil’s largest city, when off-duty police officers arrived at his desk and began making bottle-threatening gestures. The news agency AFP quoted his lawyer Eva Sequeira Jr. as saying.
He said that Lou’s friends helped both men and urged the stranger to calm down and leave.
“At the same time, the man allegedly turned around, pulled out a gun and shot Leandro in the head,” Sequeira said.
Authorities have identified the shooter and a search is on for him. He has started an investigation into the attempt to murder.
Condolences poured in from fans of Jiu-Jitsu on social media.
Specialty site BJJ Heroes called Low “one of the best grapplers for the pound a mat has ever captured.”
With roots in Japanese judo, jiu-jitsu developed in the South American country in the early 20th century, and is one of the most popular full-contact sports, with mixed martial arts (MMA) competitions gaining prominence.
