Emerson Royal ‘escapes unharmed after nightclub armed robbery attempt’

29 shots were reportedly fired during the attempted robbery

Tottenham defender Emerson Royal has reportedly escaped unharmed after being targeted by an armed robber outside a Sao Paulo nightclub during the early hours of Friday morning. According to O Liberal, Emerson had been taking photographs with a plainclothes police officer outside the New Trips club at around 3am when an individual pulled out a gun and demanded he hand over his watch and chain.

Emerson escaped unharmed after shots were exchanged

The officer spotted what had happened and drew his own gun in response. Local reports claim 29 shots were fired, with the assailant taken to hospital having being shot in the back. Emerson was not hurt in the incident, but is said to have been 'shaken' by what unfolded. The Brazil international, who later had his watch and chain returned to him, had spent the night partying with family and friends. He was later taken to a police station to help officers file a report.

Emerson had been partying with family and friends before incident

"It was a complicated moment," the player is quoted as saying as he left the police station by Globo Esporte. "Now I'm going to rest." His father told the same outlet: "I was celebrating and on the way out, this whole affair happened, which was very bad. It was a horror scene indeed. I don't wish that on anyone.

He [the policeman] went, as usual, with Royal to the car and when he realized there was a robbery and the criminal was pointing the gun at Emerson, at the time the criminal got distracted, the policeman started to exchange shots with him.

"There were around five or six people with him. Each one went to a side running, dodging, because they didn't know where the shots were coming from."

The player promised to give his own account of what happened in a post shared on his Instagram Story. 'In a while I will give my own opinion on what happened,' he wrote. 'Thanks for everyone's concern. Thank God I'm fine.'