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Panama footballer murder: Four held over deadly shooting

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PanamaImage source, Reuters
Image caption,

The player was targeted outside his home in Nuevo Col贸n

Police in Panama say they are holding four people in connection with the murder of international footballer Am铆lcar Henr铆quez.

All of those held are teenagers, officials said.

Mr Henr铆quez, 33, was shot dead as he was leaving his home in the city of Nuevo Col贸n on Saturday. A 36-year-old man, Delano Wilson, was also killed.

The motive for the killing is still unclear, but police say it appears to have been carefully planned.

Officers said the gunmen had laid in wait at a home opposite that of Mr Henr铆quez.

A 70-year-old woman and three teenage girls living at the home have been told not to leave the country while the investigations are under way.

Local media first reported that Delano Wilson, the man who died alongside Mr Henr铆quez, was a friend of the footballer.

But Mr Wilson's sister has since come forward to say her brother was just crossing the street on the way to buy a burger when he got caught in the crossfire.

Another man, Josimar G贸mez, was injured.

Mr Henr铆quez, a midfielder, had played for the Panamanian national side as well as for Panamanian team 脕rabe Unido.

Before that, he had played in Colombia for Am茅rica de Cali and Real Cartagena.

President Juan Carlos Varela condemned the murder on Twitter, saying that justice would be done.

According to Panamanian police figures, the country had a homicide rate of 9.3 per 100,000 inhabitants in 2016, which is below many other countries in the region.

However, the province of Col贸n, where Mr Henr铆quez was killed, is known to be a hotspot for gangs.