A pair of gunmen fired no less than a dozen photographs and left a threatening message for Argentine soccer star Lionel Messi in a raid on a grocery store owned by his in-laws, dubbed an act of “terrorism” by a neighborhood justice official.

The assault unfolded early on Thursday morning on the Unico grocery store within the metropolis of Rosario, Argentina – owned by the household of Messi’s spouse, Antonella Roccuzzo – with two assailants arriving on a bike and unleashing no less than 12 photographs towards the enterprise, police mentioned.

An ominous message was left for the skilled athlete on a chunk of cardboard on the retailer, studying “Messi, we’re ready for you.” It additionally referenced a neighborhood politician, Rosario mayor Pablo Javkin, claiming he’s a “drug trafficker” and wouldn’t “maintain” Messi.

There have been no accidents within the capturing, which got here amid a spike in violence linked to legal teams in Rosario. Native prosecutor Federico Rebola mentioned police had been nonetheless trying into the incident, and that the investigation was nonetheless in a “preliminary stage.” He added that Thursday’s assault was the primary identified menace towards Messi’s household. 

Santa Fe province Justice Minister Celia Area referred to as the capturing an act of “terrorism” carried out by a “mafia” group.

“The purpose is to intentionally trigger terror within the inhabitants and discourage these of us who’re preventing towards legal violence, realizing that it will likely be an occasion of world significance,” the official mentioned.

Messi, who retains a house in Rosario and regularly visits household there, has to date supplied no touch upon the incident. 

Thought of among the many best footballers of all time, the 35-year-old received FIFA’s finest males’s participant award earlier this week. He at the moment performs for the French membership Paris Saint-Germain, following a 20-year profession with Barcelona, and at last led the nationwide group to its first World Cup win in a long time late final 12 months.

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