Fan Confesses To Deadly Flare: Brazilian Teenager ‘H.A.M.’ Admits He Set Flare That Killed 14-Year-Old Bolivian Boy

A 17-year-old soccer fan from Brazil confesses to setting a deadly flare on Wednesday during a Copa Libertadores soccer match that killed a 14-year-old Bolivian boy.

The incident took place on February 20 at Jesus Bermudez Stadium on Oruro, Bolivia. The 28,000-person facility was hosting a Corinthians-San Jose match as part of the Copa Libertadores championship series.

During halftime, a flare was thrown out into the crowd as Corinthians supporters celebrated their team scoring a goal in the first half.

The flare hit 14-year-old Kevin Beltran Espada, fan of the rival team, in the face, killing him.

The match continued, ending in a 1-1 draw, according to Australian News. The death of the young boy was only made public when the soccer event ended.

The alleged culprit was allowed to leave the stadium, but other Corinthians fans were taken into custody and questioned.

Police in Oruro detained 12 fans for connection to the accident, and arrested 2 on homicide charges.

The teenage Corinthians fan responsible for throwing the deadly fare confessed on a Brazilian television channel on Sunday, Feb. 24. The 17-year-old wishes to be only known by his initials: H.A.M.

H.A.M. stated that he hasn't come forward until now because he fears legal consequences. He added that his confession was motivated by police arresting other men for a crime that he committed.

He stated, "First of all I want to say sorry not only to the family of [the victim], but to all the guys who were arrested...I feel like the worst person in the world. I bitterly regret what I did."

"I am not protecting anybody. I only want to assume responsibility for what I did because it's not right that others pay the price for something they didn't do," H.A.M. continued.

H.A.M. went on to explain how the flare accident occurred, saying, "When I first pulled the cord to set it off nothing happened. I didn't know how to handle it...When I pulled it again it just went off. I wasn't aiming it; I didn't know it was going to take off like that."

"When I found out what happened I just thought, 'My life is over. What am I going to do? I just killed a 14-year-old kid.' I feel like I'm the worst person in the world. I don't know what I'll do with my life. I deeply regret what happened," he remorsefully concluded.

The Brazilian H.A.M. cannot be extradited to Bolivia to face charges for the crime due to his status as a minor, so he will likely end up serving a community service sentence and a few years in a juvenile detention facility, according to Fox News.

The lawyer representing the teen, Ricardo Cabral, stated, "[H.A.M.] will turn himself in, with his mother by his side. A judge will likely give him a social-education sentence in this first moment."

A decision by South American soccer authority Conmebol forces the Corinthians to play their next Copa Libertadores home matches with no spectators.

The team had already sold more than 80,000 tickets for its group stage matches, and has appealed this decision.

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