Panama soccer player Gilberto Hernandez shot dead at age of 26

Panama soccer player Gilberto Hernandez shot dead at age of 26 after gunmen opened fire in the city of Colon, injuring seven others

• Seven others were injured in the attack that killed Gilberto Hernandez at 26
• He played twice for Panama and one game was against Lionel Messi’s Argentina
• DailyMail.com provides all the latest international sports news

Panama international defender Gilberto Hernandez has been shot dead at the age of 26.

The Panama football league confirmed the news in a statement. The incident happened in the city of Colon but it is unclear if Hernandez was the target of the attack.

Seven others were injured in the incident.

Hernandez played twice for his country and one appearance came in the 2-0 loss to Argentina, where Lionel Messi scored, in March of this year. It was Argentina’s first game in front of home fans since winning the World Cup in Qatar last year.

The player’s stricken father has urged the youth of Colon ‘to stop the violence’ and called on the authorities to ‘launch projects to save the youth from this violence’.

Panama international defender Gilberto Hernandez has been shot dead at age 26

He was also quoted by the BBC as urging his son’s killers to hand themselves in. According to The Guardian, there has been one arrest so far by police.

The Panama federation also issued a statement, saying it ‘regrets the sad passing of Gilberto Hernandez.

‘[We] extend condolences to his family and loved ones, as well as to the entire CAI and Panamanian football family.’

Hernandez played for Panamanian team Independiente at the time of his death.

In April 2017, another Panama player – Amilcar Henriquez – was shot and killed in Colon.

Henriquez had played 85 times for his country and was an active part of the team trying to qualify for the 2018 World Cup. 

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