Fifteen YR-Old Footballer Shot Dead ‘After Being Mistaken For Gang Target’*

A 15-year-old Brazilian footballer with dreams of going professional has been shot dead in what police believe was a case of mistaken identity.

Former São Paulo youth star Micael Leandro da Silva was killed in Maceió on Saturday after being struck by a bullet.

Police say the shooting was carried out by rival drug trafficking gangs. Micael, who had no known ties to criminal activity, is believed to have been hit after being mistaken for another target.

The teenager was rushed to hospital but died from his injuries. Several other people were also shot during the attack.

*“He Had No Chance To Run”*

Minutes before the shooting, Micael had played in an amateur football tournament.

His father, Marcos Antonio Leandro, told local media his family had been “torn apart.”

“My family has been torn apart by two criminals who came and shot my son in the back,” he said.

“The match had just finished and he was getting changed, so he had no chance to run.

“I’m devastated. His siblings haven’t stopped crying.

“I brought all my children up with humility, showing them how to be good people. It’s not easy to lose a son who had so many dreams.”

Investigations into the shooting are ongoing.