Brazilian fitness influencer Luanne Murta Jardim dos Santos Martins has died after being shot in front of her family during a robbery gone bad, local news reported. She was 30 years old.
Her family confirmed her passing in a statement posted to her Instagram page.
“Our dear star Luanne passed on to shine brighter,” they wrote in Portuguese. “Is in heaven with our Lord Jesus Christ. On behalf of the whole family, we thank you for all the messages of affection we are receiving. And we know Lu is getting all this love too.”
The bereaved family added, “The path of our little girl will not be marked by a tragedy, she was a light wherever she went. We will continue to honor your name and your life.”
The tragedy occurred on the evening of May 21 while Martins was out with her husband and their young son in Rio De Janeiro, Jam Press reported. Their family outing took a horrific turn after several suspects approached their vehicle and started shooting, hitting her in the shoulder with the bullet passing into her heart.
The mother-of-two was subsequently transported to the Salgado Filho Municipal Hospital in Méier, but succumbed to her injuries shortly thereafter.
While the incident is being investigated as an attempted robbery, the victim’s father Atanael Jardim believes that it was a targeted attack, claiming that his daughter was followed prior to the shooting.
“This was not just a theft, a robbery. It was homicide,” he told local news. “No one shoots at another car with the windows closed.”
Meanwhile, reports state that the suspects — who have yet to be identified — initially shot at the rear of the car, before coming around to the side and firing again.
Thankfully, Luanne’s husband João Pedro Farche and her son, who were in the car at the time, emerged from the incident largely unscathed aside from minor injuries suffered by the boy.
“I’m fine, Miguelzinho (their son) is also fine,” he wrote in an update to her Instagram page. “Miguelzinho hurt his face. Some pieces of shrapnel went in his face, but he’s okay.”
He added, “I was in the back seat. But that’s it. As soon as I have more information, I’ll write it here.”
The investigation is ongoing.
Prior to her death, the self-proclaimed “ex-obese” fit-fluencer was a fixture in the online health sphere, frequently sharing exercise and weight loss tips with her over 350,000 followers on Instagram.
Martins’ fans were devastated over her loss. “So sad. It’s hard to believe. Rest in peace,” wrote one crestfallen Instagram supporter, while another gushed, “May God receive you with open arms, friend.”
“My God, I can’t believe it, one of my biggest inspirations in my weight loss process,” lamented a third.
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