More tragic news from Brazil. A Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu champion and one other person were killed in a recent shooting at a restaurant in Brazil.
On Wednesday, October 12, 25-year-old Thayn Higor was in front of a restaurant in Praia Grande, according to G1.
Higor could be seen waiting on the street for a vehicle to come on surveillance video from the business. The gunman then came out of nowhere, approached the jiu-jitsu champion, and then shot him in the head.
Sadly, the attacker didn’t stop there. After killing Higor, he went straight inside the restaurant and ended up shooting a 67-year-old customer. Higo passed away right away after the attack, while the second victim was taken to the hospital and died the next morning.
After being chased out of the restaurant by a crowd, the gunman was found at a neighbouring pizza shop. Police ultimately captured the shooter after he had taken three individuals hostage and stopped any more carnage.
Although his identity has not yet been made public, the attacker is presently being held by authorities.
Despite the Brazilian being born with a physical problem that prevented his left arm from growing properly, Higor’s path to jiu-jitsu success was distinct.
Back in 2021 Higor penned a post about his jiu jitsu journey detailing how happy he was to see Charles Oliveira become a champion:
“10 years ago I had never heard of jiu jitsu, until a friend who studied with me said that Charles went with his teacher at school promoting a social project for those who wanted to train jiu jitsu, that was the first time I heard about jiu jitsu and I heard about Charles.
Since then I have known Jiu Jitsu and I have met this guy, and since I met him he was talking about this belt.
Always playful and joking, but always focused and with an armored mind, and so wherever this guy went he was loved and while we were always there at the gym we always watched his training with the greatest admiration in the world.
From there to here he remains the same with all of us and he never changed his humble heart, from there to here he keeps the root where he came from and for 10 years he has never stopped aiming for this belt.
I don’t know if this was the biggest dream of his life, but I know it was one of the most important.
And I’m very happy about that.
Yesterday I couldn’t contain the crying to see this achievement, and I still can’t believe it.
But he’s there to show that favelados can too.
God bless Charlao ”
Higor competed in and won both conventional and para-athlete jiu-jitsu events despite having much less muscle mass and range of motion in his arm.
The 25-year-achievements old’s in grappling included taking home three championships while representing the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Confederation of Parasports in his own country as well as earning two titles at the Abu Dhabi World Festival Para Jiu-Jitsu in the United Arab Emirates.
Only two months have passed since the shooting death of former BJJ world champion Leandro Lo at a Brazilian nightclub.