A younger brother of Tottenham player Serge Aurier has been shot dead in the French city of Toulouse, reportedly outside a night club.
Christopher Aurier died in hospital after emergency services found him shot in the stomach in an industrial zone on the city’s outskirts, French media say.
His suspected killer escaped the scene, a source close to the inquiry said.
Christopher Aurier, who was a citizen of Ivory Coast like his brother, was also a footballer, playing in France.
A Tottenham statement said: “The club is deeply saddened to confirm media reports that Serge Aurier’s brother passed away in the early hours of this morning.
“We are supporting Serge at this difficult time and we ask that the privacy of the player and his family is respected. Everybody at the club sends their sincerest condolences to Serge and his family. Our thoughts are with them all.”
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- How did he die?
Emergency services arrived on the scene at around 05:00 (03:00 GMT) on Monday, French TV reports.
Local people had called the police when they found the victim lying on the ground with a stomach wound.
According to a report by Europe 1, he was wounded when two bullets were fired at a night club.
Toulouse newspaper La Dépêche published a photo of what it said was the crime scene outside Kin’s night club near the Boulevard de Thibaud.
- Who was Christopher Aurier?
The 26-year-old had played for local team Rod̩o Toulouse Рwhich was in the French fifth division last season Рafter stints at Racing Club de Lens, Gueugnon, Chantilly and Belgian club Rebecq, Le Figaro reports.
His brother Serge, 27, is a right-back at Premier League club Tottenham and also captains the Ivorian national team.