Brazilian professional surfer Rickson Falcão is recovering at home after being shot four times during a horrifying drive-by attack in Saquarema, Brazil.
The 19-year-old WSL South America Junior champion was eating açaí with friends at a snack bar along the Itaúna waterfront Friday night when a black car passed by and one occupant fired more than 10 shots, according to Brazilian outlet Globo.
Surveillance footage captures the chaos as customers suddenly jump from their tables, sprint for cover and scramble inside the business. In one chilling moment, a young woman falls during the gunfire and is pulled to safety by another person. See below.
According to Falcão’s team, four bullets struck the surfer: one grazed his back, another hit his right foot, one struck his leg and another hit his left ankle near the Achilles tendon. He underwent surgery following the shooting.
Remarkably, Falcão was discharged Sunday and later posted an update from home.
“For those who have faith, life never ends,” he wrote in Portuguese. Falcão thanked God for “this chance to live,” adding that if the bullet in his back hadn’t merely grazed him, “I don’t know if I’d be here.”
See Falcão’s update from the hospital, linked here, and below:
An earlier hospital update was equally reassuring.
“I’ve already had surgery, I’m out of any danger,” Falcão said. “Now it’s time to focus on recovery.”
Falcão wasn’t the only athlete caught in the attack. Professional skateboarder Pedro Magalhães Marchi was shot in the arm, while surfer Kauã Vilhena was hit in the calf. Both have since been released from the hospital. Six people were shot in total.
One victim, Luan César Avellar Incutto Ferreira, later died after being transported to a hospital. Police say he was believed to have been the intended target. Authorities recovered two 9mm shell casings from the scene, and Civil Police are investigating who carried out the shooting and why.
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No arrests had been announced in the latest reporting.
Falcão is one of Brazil’s brightest young surfing prospects. Born and raised in Saquarema, he won the 2025 WSL South America Junior title, finished fifth at the 2026 WSL World Junior Champs and previously earned bronze at the ISA World Junior Surfing Championship.
His agent says the wounds did not damage structures expected to jeopardize his surfing career. Considering how close one bullet came, surfing again is almost secondary.
Falcão is simply fortunate to be alive.
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