A lawmaker has been detained after allegedly firing a gun while drunk in a nightclub, striking a TV presenter in the foot.
Marcelo Aguiar was partying on Sunday (19 October) when a row broke out after he allegedly approached women who were uninterested in his advances.
Witnesses claimed the married politician was “absurdly drunk” and had been touching women and trying to stroke their hair before he was confronted by two men.
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One woman told local media: “He was trying to hold the hands of two girls. He tried talking to one of them, but she wasn’t enjoying it and sort of asked her group of friends for help.”
She added: “He wouldn’t stop bothering the girls.”
According to a police report, Aguiar, 53, was said to have felt threatened when the men challenged him before allegedly pulling out a gun and firing.
However, a witness claimed the gun went off as Aguiar fell during the ensuing scuffle, as reported by Need To Know.
The shot sparked panic, with customers reportedly struggling to leave the Santo nightclub in São Paulo, Brazil.
TV presenter Fred Bruno, who hosts Globo Esporte in São Paulo, was reportedly grazed in the foot.
He said the bullet struck and tore his trainer, leaving his foot swollen and throbbing.
“I heard the shot and felt a very strong impact on my foot,” Fred said.
“It started throbbing and burning, and I didn’t understand what had happened.
“I’m fine, but this is a very serious matter. Something much worse could have happened to me or anyone else there.”
The presenter vowed to hand medical evidence to police, saying the case “cannot be allowed to go unpunished”.
He added: “It’s something absurd, something that makes you furious just thinking about what could have happened to me, my family, my health, my body, or anyone else who was there.”
São Paulo state deputy Aguiar was reportedly handcuffed and taken to a police station, where officers said he appeared intoxicated. He was later released and will face the investigation while at liberty.
A Glock .380 pistol was seized for forensic examination to establish whether the shot was accidental or deliberate.
In his police statement, Aguiar said he had felt unwell during the night, suspecting it was due to medication he had taken beforehand.
He told officers that, if a shot had been fired from his weapon, “it was accidental”.
His press team denied that he had been arrested, saying he had answered questions before being released.
“The politician was under the influence of strong medication, which caused an adverse reaction, and ended up getting involved in an argument,” his representatives said.
“He is currently at home and will attend a medical appointment. He reiterates that he trusts the justice system and is convinced that all the facts will be properly clarified in due course.”
Police are investigating possible sexual harassment or misconduct and whether the gun was fired intentionally. They are also trying to identify the women involved and the men who confronted him.
The incident has sparked further controversy after it emerged that the car Aguiar used to reach the nightclub displayed an official number plate belonging to São Paulo’s state legislature, despite not being registered as part of its authorised fleet.
The legislature has launched an internal investigation, while two female lawmakers have asked its ethics council to examine Aguiar’s conduct.
The politician, a member of Brazil’s evangelical parliamentary caucus, is also a gospel country singer who rose to prominence through the Christian music group Renascer Praise.
The nightclub, Santo, said staff had called the authorities and that it was co-operating with the investigation.
In a statement, management said: “Out of respect for the ongoing investigations and the people involved, the establishment will make no further comments at this time.”
Police have since added a suspected bodily injury offence to the case after Bruno was formally recognised as a victim. He has been referred for a forensic medical examination.
The update does not mean Aguiar has been formally charged.
The investigation is ongoing.
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