A Brazilian soccer ref pulled a gun out on the field during an amateur match over the weekend after a manager and players from one team allegedly slapped him and kicked him for refusing to issue a red card against the opposing team.
Referee Gabriel Murta’s actions were captured in a video as he waved a gun around on the field for a few seconds during the match in Brumadinho, Brazil, before being
restrained by a linesman, according to the New York Post. Murta reportedly retrieved the gun from the locker room immediately after the confrontation with the Amantes de Bola team members.
League president Valdenir de Castro insisted that Murta’s response arose after the Amantes de Bola players assaulted him and the manager invaded the pitch to demand the red card, thus making
Murta feel threatened, according to The Telegraph. After Murta was successfully restrained, he returned the gun to the locker room, harming no one in the process.
On Tuesday, Murta, who is reportedly a police officer, was set to undergo a psychological evaluation before facing a possible suspension or
lifetime ban from the league, The Huffington Post reported.
“What’s happened is obviously not a common occurrence and I don’t want to rush into anything,” said Brazilian referees’ association commissioner Guiliano Bozzano, according to HuffPo.
Responses on Twitter to the referee’s gun-waving incident have been mixed, although many commenters decried Murta’s actions and used the opportunity to criticize gun control policies:
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