Soccer hooliganism turns deadly in Chile

Santiago: One man was killed and another badly wounded in a shooting attributed by Chilean police to a feud between rival factions of fans of the Colo Colo soccer club.

The incident occurred in the Santiago district of Macul, home of Colo Colo`s Monumental stadium, and the dead man was identified by police as Claudio Andres Lincaqueo, who was the coordinator of the collective fan group. The automobile in which Lincaqueo and two other members of the group were riding was cut off by another vehicle, whose occupants opened fire on the trio. Lincaqueo was hit by three bullets and one of his companions, Pablo Rigo, was admitted to a hospital in serious condition. The third occupant of the vehicle, whose identity has not been released, was unhurt, according to his friends. Police said that the initial investigation points to the fact that the attack was revenge by one faction of the hardcore fan group, whose chief, Javier Figueroa, was knifed to death a few months ago outside a stadium in Rancagua. A new law that takes effect this week drastically increases the penalties for acts of vandalism by soccer fans and placed complete responsibility for the organization of matches, including security, on Chile`s clubs. IANS