April 18 – Panama international Amilcar Henriquez has been shot and killed outside his home in the country’s Colón province, authorities there have confirmed.
The 33-year-old midfielder was leaving his home when a gunman shot him several times. Another two people were wounded in the incident and are now in hospital.
Panama President Juan Carlos Varela condemned the killing on his Twitter account and called for authorities in Colón to hunt down those responsible.
Henriquez was a member of the Panama squad currently attempting to qualify for the 2018 World Cup in Russia and most recently played for his country in March, coming on as a substitute in the 1-1 draw with the United States.
A native of Colón, one of the most violent and dangerous cities in the country, he returned in 2016 to local football after several years in the Colombian league.
Just weeks ago, Henríquez, speaking to FIFA, had praised the work of the coaching staff to improve the Panamanian team. “Going to a World Cup is a dream come true, it’s something we all want,” he said at the time.
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