Arnold Peralta: Honduras national soccer player shot dead at shopping mall

 

Arnold Peralta, the former Rangers midfielder, has been shot dead in a shopping mall parking lot in his home town of La Ceiba on the Caribbean coast of Honduras.
In a statement, police said the Honduras international was killed outside the Uniplaza mall on Thursday. The 26-year-old was on holiday following the conclusion of his club’s season.

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Police said no suspects were in custody and the motive for the attack was unknown. In a second statement later, officials ruled out robbery as a possible motive. The country is plagued by gang violence and has one of the world’s highest homicide rates.
Peralta played 29 times for Rangers, scoring once in his two seasons at Ibrox. He left Glasgow in January this year to return to Honduras and play for Club Deportivo Olimpia. He previously played for Club Deportivo Vida.
The player’s father, Carlos Peralta, confirmed the death at a news conference. “This is terrible. They killed my exemplary son. I can’t say more because of the pain I feel.”
Osman Madrid, director of Honduras’ national football federation, said, “This is a tragic death that the national sport mourns.”
Olimpia were eliminated from the league’s semi-final last weekend by their arch rival, Motagua.
The club expressed its condolences through its official Twitter account.
Peralta had been scheduled to play in the national team’s friendly against Cuba next week.
He represented Honduras at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil and the 2012 Olympic Games in London. He was captain of Honduras’ Under-20 side.