Aussie surfers caught up in Rio shooting days out from WSL event

SOME of the world’s leading surfers, including reigning world champion Carissa Moore, have reportedly witnessed the gunning down of a man in Rio ahead of the next event of the World Surf League.

World champion surfer Carissa Moore at Bells Beach.

SOME of the world’s leading surfers, including reigning women’s world champion Carissa Moore, have reportedly witnessed the gunning down of a man in Rio ahead of the next event of the World Surf League.

Surf magazine Stab are reporting on their site a shooting occurred just a street away from where the World Surf League event is due to kick off this week.

Aussie surf queen Sally Fitzgibbons is also in Rio for the meet, as is six-time world champion Stephanie Gilmore.

Sally Fitzgibbons at the Billabong Rio Pro two years ago when she won the event over Carissa Moore.

It is believed Gilmore was in a nearby restaurant with other world championship tour surfers at the time of the shooting.

Stab has quoted American surfer Conner Coffin who says he was with women’s world champion Moore when they saw a man gunned down on the street.

“It was me, Carissa and a couple guys from Hurley,” Conner told Stab.

“At first I thought it was fire crackers, then someone yelled gun and we all just jumped.

“We saw this guy trying to get away from the man wielding a pistol at the gas station.

“He jumped on a motorcycle, he was shot and bleeding. It was pretty gnarly. I thought he got away, but I heard later that he was seen lying in the street. It’s definitely the sketchiest thing I’ve ever seen.

“Seeing someone get shot at a gas station in the middle of the day definitely keeps you on your toes. You just hope you don’t get caught in the crossfire.”

Surfing Magazine says it is believed a motorcycle bandit was attempting to burgle a parked vehicle.

The magazine said accounts from the scene indicate one shot was fired during the incident.

In 2015, top surfer Ricciardo Dos Santos was shot three times outside his home in Brazil.

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