Argentine fan's shooting kindles days of violence

Police disperse riotous fans with water after the supporters breached the fence that separates spectators from the field at the Clausura Tournament soccer game between Velez and San Lorenzo on Saturday in the Nuevo Gasometro stadium in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The game was suspended after the death of a fan outside the stadium. PHOTO: EPA

Authorities on Sunday offered a reward for information about the shooting death of an Argentine soccer fan, whose killing opened two days of scattered violent disturbances in the sixth round of the Clausura tournament.

The announcement of the reward came on the same day that a brawl between two rival Boca Juniors hooligan groups resulted in one stabbing and led to more than 180 arrests, police said.

The fighting spilled out of an area near the Boca Juniors stadium on Sunday and TV footage showed a car overturned and another vehicle that had been set ablaze.

Alberto Crescenti, a spokesman for city paramedics, said a 40-year-old man was stabbed in the abdomen and was hospitalized, but the injury was not life-threatening.

Police said they had made no arrests after the shooting of Emanuel Alvarez, a 21-year-old follower of the Velez Sarsfield first-division club. He was shot as he traveled to Saturday's game against crosstown rival San Lorenzo, setting off riots that forced the postponement of the match.

Justice Ministry officials offered the equivalent of US$32,000 for information helping to solve the killing or leading to arrests. No motive was reported and it was the 223rd registered soccer fan death in Argentina since 1939.