The 24-year-old Argentinian soccer player “shot himself” after a video of him brutally beating a referee went viral
The 24-year-old Argentinian soccer player “shot himself” after a video of him brutally beating a referee went viral
- Amateur soccer player Williams Tapón is said to have shot himself in Buenos Aires, Argentina on Monday
- The 24-year-old is said to have taken his own life during a football match on Saturday after attacking referee Cristian Paniagua
- Tapón was given a prison sentence of up to 15 years for attempted murder
An Argentine soccer player is said to have shot himself after a video of him brutally beating a referee went viral.
Williams Tapón was found dead on a train track in Buenos Aires on Monday, two days after he attacked the official during an amateur football match.
Footage of the incident shows referee Cristian Paniagua, 36, stopping play to show Tapón’s team-mate a yellow card, who appears to be questioning his decision.
The angry player then shoves Paniagua, who then raises a red card to signal that the player has been eliminated from the game.
Williams Tapón (left) attacked referee Cristian Paniagua (right) during an amateur soccer match Saturday in Buenos Aires, Argentina, after the referee ejected one of his teammates. The 24-year-old footballer was charged with attempted murder on Sunday and is believed to have shot himself Monday night
You can see Tapón running towards the referee and punching him twice in the face before falling to the ground.
He then kicked Paniagua in the head, leaving him motionless as the players stared at him.
Tapón, father of two boys, was charged with attempted murder but not taken into custody after Paniagua filed a complaint with police on Sunday.
After the accusation, Tapón returned to his home and informed his wife, Agustina Tapón, that he would be back soon.
Cristian Paniagua is attacked by an amateur soccer player shortly after showing him the yellow card. At one point, a second player, Williams Tapón, charged him and punched him twice before kicking him to death while he was lying on the turf
Williams Tapón (centre) lunges at referee Cristian Paniagua (right) to attack him after he knocked his teammate (left) off the ground during an amateur soccer match in Buenos Aires last Saturday
Priscila Tapón (right with Williams Tapón’s widow Agustina Tapón) told Argentina’s Cronica news agency that her brother may have killed himself because he feared jail time
Before he was found dead, he sent his family a chilling audio message asking his sister Priscila Tapón to help his wife raise their children.
“I love you with my soul.” Thank you for everything, you were always there. You didn’t leave me alone and I appreciate that. “I love you, I love you,” Williams Tapón.
“Please help Agu, I beg you.” “I made it this far, I’ll go with the old woman,” he added, referring to the mother who died eight months ago.
Priscila Tapón told Argentina’s Cronica news agency that her brother may have been driven to suicide out of fear he might be found guilty. The crime was punishable by imprisonment of 10 to 15 years.
In an interview with Canal 9 TV on Monday, the soccer player said he had contacted Paniagua, who refused to accept his apology and demanded to pay him 300,000 Argentine pesos, about $1,100, to avoid charges.
“I know I could have killed him; It wasn’t my intention, I went for it. “People don’t know, I’m not like that,” he said. “Last night (Sunday) I couldn’t even sleep. “Everyone told me I could have killed him.”