‘He was about to shoot me, I pushed him… then the cop fired’ – Spurs star Emerson Royal opens up on 3am gun fight horror
TOTTENHAM star Emerson Royal has opened up on the terrifying moment he feared for his life after he was involved in a gunfight after being targeted by an armed robber.
The Brazilian international defender, 23, was leaving New Trips nightclub in his home city of Sao Paulo when a man pointed the firearm at him and demanded his belongings at around 3am.
The former Barcelona player, who is on holiday back in his homeland, was with his family and friends when he posed for a photo of an off-duty police officer when the shock incident occurred.
Fortunately for Royal the cop sprang into action to chase the armed man after the gun was pulled on the Spurs ace before opening fire at the assailant.
A total of 29 shots were allegedly fired at the robber, one of which reportedly hit him in the back, which has now led to the bullet being surgically removed.
Royal has already thanks the police officer on Instagram while confirming that he had escaped unhurt.
Officials have also said that the watch he was wearing in the photo with the cop may have been what the robber was targeting.
Now Royal has told Sportv exactly how close close he came to suffering potentially life-threatening injuries in the ordeal.
He said: “At that moment, God controlled me in a way… because it felt like nothing was happening. I approached the bandit, saying ‘calm down, calm down, everyone is calm, I’ll give you what you want.’”
“When I give him what he wants, I approach him, because I’d already seen his evil look. I saw that he wasn’t just for the watch.
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“When I hand it to him, he walks away and unlocks his gun to shoot me. When he’s about to shoot me, I pushed him, slap the gun and he shoots in the air. He fired.
“It was at that moment, when I pushed him, that he loses his balance and the cop shoots him. Then when he hits the shot, the rush starts.
“I say, it’s God at the moment. Because we were in a square, there were 15 people more or less. In a small square. And he starts shooting everywhere and doesn’t hit anyone. He fired 17 or 19 shots, if I’m not mistaken.
“He had a gun that was a 9mm, if I’m not mistaken, semi-automatic. It’s a weapon that is not normal for a bandit, nor a policeman.
“Then I understood that it was a moment that could cost me my life, but it served as a lesson for me to be careful in several situations. And I’m calm now.”
Royal moved to Spurs last summer from Barcelona and made 41 appearances for them as he helped the club to qualify for next season’s Champions League.