Rio mugger dies in fight with Russia vice consul: police

Rio de Janeiro: A would-be mugger in Rio de Janeiro died when Russia's vice consul fought back during the attempted robbery and the assailant was killed by his own weapon, police said.

The fight, which took place in the same western zone of Rio where the Olympic Park and the Athletes' Village are located, was the latest high profile crime in the city where 85,000 police and soldiers have been deployed to keep the peace during the Games.

The vice consul, who was not identified by police, "reacted to an attempted assault," a statement from the homicide department said yesterday.

"The vice consul got into a physical struggle with the assailant and during the fight the aggressor's weapon fired shots. The assailant died of his wounds on the spot."

Brazilian news site Extra reported that the vice consul is a native of Rio and an expert in jiu-jitsu, a popular martial art in Brazil that specializes in self-defense.

He was in his car with his wife and daughter in a car when they were ambushed by men on two motorbikes while caught in a traffic jam, the report said. The second robber fled, according to the report.

Traffic jams are a favored target for robbers on foot or on motorbikes in Rio, as well as buses which are regularly raided by armed men.