Chinese businessman survives gun robbery in Brazil, finds bullet lodged in his laptop
A Chinese businessman survived a gun robbery in Brazil when a bullet fired at him was later found lodged in his laptop during an airport check.
A Chinese businessman narrowly avoided serious injury during a robbery in Brazil after a bullet was later found lodged in his laptop.
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The man, identified only by his surname Liu, was on a business trip to Sao Paulo when the incident occurred on October 1, according to a report by South China Morning Post (SCMP).
Liu had completed his work commitments and ordered a taxi to his hotel to catch his flight back to China. Instead of waiting inside the hotel, he chose to walk to a nearby petrol station about 100 metres away for some fresh air while speaking to a client on the phone.
Gunman opens fire
As Liu stood near the exit of the station, a black car pulled up suddenly and a masked man carrying a gun rushed towards him. “My first reaction was to run,” Liu said, recalling how he grabbed his bag containing his passport, wallet, work laptop and important files before fleeing.
He heard two shots fired in his direction as he ran. Believing at first that the weapon might have been fake, he continued to escape as the robber seized his suitcase and drove off.
Police response and airport discovery
Staff from the petrol station and nearby drivers checked whether Liu was injured. Once it was clear he was unharmed, they contacted the police. Liu gave a statement before heading to the airport to continue his journey home.
It was during the airport security check that he discovered a bullet had pierced his bag and lodged inside his laptop. An iron phone holder attached to the device had stopped the bullet from reaching him. “Only then did I realise the robber was really shooting at me,” Liu said.
Losses and safety reminders
Although his life had been spared, Liu lost his iPad, hard drives and gifts intended for his daughter along with the stolen suitcase. Police informed him that gun robberies are common in Brazil and the chances of recovering his belongings were minimal.
On October 5, Liu shared his experience online, reflecting on how fortunate he was to have survived. He also urged tourists to remain cautious, advising visitors not to wander outside unnecessarily, avoid wearing conspicuous clothing or carrying luggage, and above all to surrender belongings immediately if confronted by an armed robber.
