Minister’s son victim of assault in Brazil
Close friend of José Ruiz-Gallardón Utrera was shot dead in robbery
Family members of Justice Minister Alberto Ruiz-Gallardón said Tuesday that they were shocked and saddened by the attempted robbery of the Cabinet member’s 26-year-old son in São Paulo, in an incident that claimed the life of his close friend.
José Ruiz-Gallardón Utrera, a partner in the Uría Menéndez-Proença de Carvalho law firm, was driving a Honda Civic with his friend, Italian Tomasso Loto, in the Jardins neighborhood on Saturday night when four armed men on motorcycles forced them to pull over. After the two tried to get out of the vehicle, one of the men fired a shot that killed the 26-year-old Loto.
José Ruiz-Gallardón, who was not injured, took a flight back to Madrid the following day. The family said that he is recovering over the shock of witnessing his friend die. He plans to return to his job in Brazil, where he works as a representative of the Uría law firm in the Brazilian city.
