Video footage shows the moment an assassin put a gun right up to the face of Argentine Vice President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner before his gun jammed.
Fernández de Kirchner, who was on her way home from court, was in front of her Buenos Aires residence surrounded by a mob of supporters when the horrifying ordeal unfolded, according to the BBC. The video shows people moving around her when suddenly someone holds a gun right up to her face. She puts her head down as the assassin fires the gun, which jams. Shock and chaos ensue as the scuffle unfolds on camera.
Police have taken a 35-year-old Brazilian man into custody, according to the BBC and continue to investigate the motive behind the attack as details about the gunman emerge.
Fernández de Kirchner was Argentina’s president from 2007 – 2015 and first lady of Argentina for four years prior to her presidential run, according to the BBC. The left-leaning politician was in court facing allegations of corruption, which she denies.
President Alberto Fernandez said the seized gun had been loaded with five bullets, according to Reuters. (RELATED: NPR Deletes Tweet Calling Assassinated Prime Minister ‘A Divisive Arch-Conservative’)
“This is the most serious event we have gone through since Argentina returned to democracy,” Fernandez said, according to Reuters.
“A man pointed a firearm at her head and pulled the trigger. Cristina is still alive because, for some reason yet to be confirmed, the gun … did not fire,” Fernandez said, according to Reuters.
The Argentinian Football Association suspended all soccer matches in Argentina as a result of the assassination attempt, according to ESPN.
The investigation continues to develop.