Seems a much closer call than first thought.
Royal has now told
local TV channel Globo Esporte exactly how close close he came to suffering potentially life-threatening injuries in the ordeal.
He said: “At that moment, GHod controlled me in a way… because it felt like nothing was happening. I approached the bandit, saying ‘calm down, calm down, everyone is calm, I'll give you what you want.’
“When I give him what he wanted, I approach him, because I'd already seen his evil look. I saw that he wasn't just there for the watch.
When I handed it to him, he walked away and unroostered his gun to shoot me. When he was about to shoot me, I pushed him, slapped the gun and he shot in the air. He fired.
It was at that moment, when I pushed him, that he lost his balance and the cop shot him. Then when he hits the shot, the rush starts.
I say, it's GHod at the moment. Because we were in a square, there were 15 people, more or less, in a small square. And he starts shooting everywhere and doesn't hit anyone. He fired 17 or 19 shots, if I'm not mistaken.
He had a gun that was a 9mm, if I'm not mistaken, semi-automatic. It's a weapon that is not normal for a bandit, nor a policeman.
Then I understood that it was a moment that could cost me my life, but it served as a lesson for me to be careful in several situations. I'm calm now.”