Second Taylor Swift fan dies hours after attending Rio de Janeiro show, stabbed to death while resting on a beach
The recent death is that of Gabriel Milhomem Santos, who was stabbed to death hours after he attended the world-wide tour at Nilton Santos Olympic Stadium
A second Taylor Swift fan tragically died in Rio de Janeiro after the singer postponed her show on Saturday, November 18, a day after another woman, Ana Clara Benevides, died after falling ill in the heat at the concert venue. The recent death is that of Taylor’s fan Gabriel Milhomem Santos, who was stabbed to death hours after he attended the world-wide tour at Nilton Santos Olympic Stadium in the Brazilian city.
Gabriel was wearing a 'Swifities' friendship bracelet when he was fatally stabbed as he rested on Copacabana beach on Sunday morning, November 19. He is set to be buried in his hometown in the western state of Mato Grosso do Sul. He will be buried wearing what he had made to watch Taylor’s show.
What happened to Gabriel Milhomem Santos?
Gabriel had travelled to Rio from Belo Horizonte to attend Taylor's show. He studied Aeronautic Engineering in Horizonte.
Gabriel and his two female cousins decided to visit the popular Copacabana beach to swim on Sunday morning. His cousins said he was stabbed to death by three robbers and he rested. The robbers took two mobile phones, as well as the keys to the group's hire car, according to the Daily Mail. They were later arrested by police.
Alan Ananias Calvacante and Anderson Henriques Brandão, two of the robbers, had been released from custody just hours earlier. They had been held for stealing 80 bars of chocolate. A third robber, Jonathan Batista Barbosa, is on the run. He has ten other crimes on his record.
Taylor Swift ‘devastated’ by Ana Clara Benevides
This is the second tragedy that took place during Taylor’s three-day stint in Rio de Janeiro. Ana’s cause of death has been listed as cardiorespiratory arrest, according to Brazilian newspaper Fohla De Sao Paolo.
Taylor said she was “devastated” after Ana's death. "I can't believe I'm writing these words but it is with a shattered heart that I say we lost a fan earlier tonight before my show," Taylor wrote on social media. "I can't even tell you how devastated I am by this."
Taylor added that she would not be able to address the incident from the stage because she felt "overwhelmed by grief" while trying to talk about it. "I want to say now I feel this loss deeply and my broken heart goes out to her family and friends,” she said. A video even showed Taylor distributing bottles of water.
The South American city is experiencing a massive heatwave. In fact, a recent video appears to show Taylor gasping for air while performing in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Friday, November 17. The clip shows the star seemingly struggling to breathe after singing ‘Bejeweled.’