Watch: Out Guatamalan Lawmaker Target of Armed Assault
Out Guatamalan lawmaker Aldo Dávila - that country's first openly gay congressman - was the target of an armed attack, reports say. The assailants fled when his bodyguard opened fire, wounding one of them.
Dávila was not harmed.
"Police said it was an attempted assault," the Associated Press reported, while Newsweek said that the incident was "an attempted armed robbery".
Either way, the bodyguard's actions saved the congressman from possible harm, news reports indicated. "Photographs showed several bullet holes in the vehicle in which he was traveling," the AP detailed.
"The attack occurred in the historic center of the Guatemalan capital, just one block from the National Palace," the AP account added.
Footage of the attack was captured by a security camera. That footage later went viral on social media, according to Newsweek.
"While at a red light, at least three men surround the car and look in through the windows, allegedly displaying their weapons. The driver promptly produces his own firearm and shoots one suspect," the Newsweek story recounts.
Dávila told the AP, "I'm fine, a little scared." He described how the gunmen "approached from various sides," at which point, "I threw myself to the ground and my guards fortunately repelled the attack."
The lawmaker said the incident was the first time he had been subjected to such an attack. It's unknown whether Dávila's car happened to be a convenient target for would-be robbers, or if Dávila being gay played a role in the attackers' motives.
"I constantly receive threats for work, but no more than that," Dávila told the AP.
The wounded attacker was arrested. Spanish language news site Soy502 identified him as 20-year-old Fernando José Barreno, Newsweek noted.
To watch the security camera footage, follow this link. The attackers appear about 40 seconds into the three-minute and five-second video clip. (Advisory: The video shows gunfire and a man falling to the ground.)