Stray bullet flies into equestrian Press Centre

The equestrian venue is sited next to a military complex, though police are still trying to discover who fired the bullet and from where, a spokesman for the Rio 2016 organising committee said.

Published : Aug 07, 2016 02:39 IST , Rio de Janeiro

A television cameraman films two holes in the tent that serves as a media centre for the Deodoro Olympic Equestrian Centre during the first day of competition of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, in Rio de Janeiro.
A television cameraman films two holes in the tent that serves as a media centre for the Deodoro Olympic Equestrian Centre during the first day of competition of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, in Rio de Janeiro.
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A television cameraman films two holes in the tent that serves as a media centre for the Deodoro Olympic Equestrian Centre during the first day of competition of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, in Rio de Janeiro.

A stray bullet cut through the plastic roof of the equestrian media centre in Rio de Janeiro on Saturday, alarming journalists and underlining concerns about the host city's ability to guarantee security at the world's biggest sporting event.

No one was injured in the incident. The equestrian venue is sited next to a military complex, though police are still trying to discover who fired the bullet and from where, a spokesman for the Rio 2016 organising committee said.

"It was a stray bullet and has nothing to do with the Games,” Mario Andrada said at a news conference, adding that security around the venue had been increased as a precaution.

Dozens of police and troops patrolled the streets en route to the equestrian complex. The area was not evacuated.

Some of the world's most expensive animals are housed nearby, and riders were competing in the dressage phase of the eventing competition just a few meters away.

Security is a main concern of organisers of South America's first Olympics. Brazil has deployed 85,000 police, military, and private security personnel for the Olympics, more than double that of London in 2012.

Also on Saturday a bomb squad detonated an unattended backpack near the end of the cycling course.

Killings in Rio and nearby Baixada Fluminense climbed 7.5 percent to 1,518 murders in the first six months of this year compared to the same period in 2015.

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