Matthew Gibbard was killed and his stepson injured in Argentina after being targeted by robbers

This article is more than 9 months old

This article is more than 9 months old

A British tourist was killed and his stepson seriously wounded when they were shot outside a luxury hotel in Buenos Aires during a robbery.

Matthew Gibbard, aged 50 and his stepson Stefan Zone, 28, were targeted on Saturday by robbers on a motorcycle, supported by accomplices in a car, according to local reports.

Both men were taken to hospital after the attack near the entrance of the Faena Art hotel, in the waterfront Puerto Madero district of the Argentinian capital. officials said in a statement.

Security camera footage of the incident showed both men tried to resist attempts to steal their baggage before being shot, police said.

The older man, who was shot in the chest, later died, while his stepson suffered a thigh wound, according to news reports.

Argentine reports said a bullet fired at Matthew Gibbard struck in the right armpit before burying in his chest and possibly penetrating his lung.

His stepson was shot in the thigh and is in serious condition in hospital, but did not suffer damage to his femoral artery.

The video footage later showed two men escaping on a motorcycle. It also appeared to show that men travelling in a car also assisted in the attack. Police said they had launched an investigation to find both vehicles.

It is not clear whether the two men had been staying at the hotel.

A Foreign Office spokeswoman said: “We are supporting the family of two British men following an incident in Buenos Aires, and are in contact with the local authorities there.”

More than 111,000 British nationals visited Argentina in 2018, according to the Foreign Office, which said most visits are “trouble-free”.

But tourists are warned to be alert to street crime, including armed robberies, and advised to hand over cash and valuables without resistance.

Last night, the hotel said in a statement they “greatly regret what happened in the immediate vicinity of the hotel. We express our deepest condolences to the relatives and friends of the victims.”

The hotel said they were “co-operating with the authorities in everything necessary”.

• This article was amended on 15 December to correct a mistranslation of the victims’ names