Argentine soccer player, 24, ‘shot himself dead’ after video of him savagely beating a referee went viral
- Amateur soccer player Williams Tapón allegedly shot himself dead Monday in Buenos Aires, Argentina
- The 24-year-old is believed to have taken his own life after attacking referee Cristian Paniagua during a soccer match Saturday
- Tapón was facing an attempted homicide charge that carried up to 15 years in prison
An Argentine soccer player allegedly shot himself dead after a video of him savagely beating a referee went viral.
Williams Tapón was found dead on a railroad track in Buenos Aires on Monday, two days after he attacked the official during an amateur soccer match.
Footage of the incident shows referee Cristian Paniagua, 36, stopping play to present a yellow to Tapón’s teammate who appears to question his decision.
The irate player subsequently shoves Paniagua, who reacts by raising a red card to signal that player had been ejected from the game.
Williams Tapón (left) attacked referee Cristian Paniagua (right) during an amateur soccer match Saturday in Buenos Aires, Argentina, after the official ejected one of his teammates. The 24-year-old soccer player was charged with attempted homicide Sunday and allegedly shot himself dead Monday night
Tapón can be seen charging at the referee and punching him in the face twice before he falls to the ground.
He then delivered a kick to Paniagua’s head leaving him motionless as players stared him down.
Tapón, a father of two boys, was charged with attempted homicide, but was not taken into custody, after Paniagua filed a police report Sunday.
Following the accusation, Tapón returned to his home and told his wife, Agustina Tapón, that he would be coming back soon.
Cristian Paniagua is attacked by an amateur soccer player moments after showing him a yellow card. At one point a second player, Williams Tapón, charged at him and punched him twice before kicking him in the dead while he was lying on the turf
Williams Tapón (center) rushes after referee Cristian Paniagua (right) to assault him after he had ejected his teammate (left) during an amateur soccer game in Buenos Aires last Saturday
Priscila Tapón (right with Williams Tapón’s widow, Agustina Tapón) told Argentina news outlet Cronica that her brother may have killed himself because he was afraid of going to prison
Before he was found dead, he sent his family a chilling audio message in which he asked his sister Priscila Tapón to help his wife raise the children.
‘I love you with my soul. Thank you for everything, you were always there. You didn’t leave me alone and I appreciate that. I love you, I love you,’ Williams Tapón.
‘Give Agu a hand, please, I beg you. I’ve made it up to here, I’m going with the old woman,’ he added in reference to their mother, who died eight months ago.
Priscila Tapón told Argentine news outlet Cronica that her brother may have been driven to suicide over fears that he could have been found guilty. The crime carried a sentenced of 10 to 15 years in prison.
In an interview with television network Canal 9 on Monday, the soccer player said he had reached out to Paniagua, who refused to accept his apology and demanded he pay him 300,000 Argentine pesos, about $1,100, in order not to press charges.
‘I know that I could have killed him; It was not my intention, I went off. People don’t know, I’m not like that,’ he said. ‘Last night (Sunday) I couldn’t even sleep. Everyone told me that I could have killed him.’
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