Lionel Messi threatened by gunmen who shot up in-laws’ supermarket
A supermarket owned by Lionel Messi’s in-laws in Argentina was shot up, and the attackers left a threatening note for the soccer star.
The Associated Press reports that two gunmen opened fire at Unico supermarket in Rosario, Argentina’s third-biggest city, according to police.
The market is owned by the parents of Messi’s wife, Antonella Roccuzzo.
Police said that the attackers fired at least two dozen shots, and left a note threatening Messi which said: “Messi, we’re waiting for you. Javkin is also a drug trafficker, so he won’t take care of you.”
Javkin refers to Pablo Javkin, the mayor of Rosario, a city about 190 miles outside of Buenos Aires.
Nobody was injured in the attack, and it is not known why Messi and his family were targeted.
Messi, one of the greatest soccer players of all-time, is a beloved figure in Argentina, especially since he led the nation to victory in the World Cup this past Fall.
He currently plays for French club team Paris Saint-Germain.
“The aim is to deliberately cause terror in the population and discourage those of us who are fighting against criminal violence, knowing that it will be an event of global significance,” Celia Arena, a justice minister in the region, wrote on social media.
Javkin, the mayor, has lashed out at federal authorities for failing to stop violence related to drug trafficking in Argentina.
![Lionel Messi playing for Paris Saint-Germain.](https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/03/NYPICHPDPICT000007305916.jpg?w=1024)
![Lionel Messi holds World Cup championship trophy.](https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/03/GettyImages-1245741891.jpg?w=1024)
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“I doubt everyone, even those who are supposed to protect us,” he said in a radio interview.
“Where are the ones who need to take care of us?” Javkin asked. “It’s clear that those who have the weapons and have the possibility of investigating the criminals aren’t doing it, and it’s very easy for any gang to carry out something like this.”
Messi has not yet commented on the incident.