Man shoots three rivals dead in pigeon-racing dispute, Portugal police say

A man gunned down three others following an argument about pigeon racing, Portuguese police told news outlets.

All four men lived in Setúbal, about 30 miles southeast of Lisbon, and raced pigeons, a sport involving the release of specially trained homing pigeons, according to Publico, a Portuguese newspaper.

The three victims were pigeon racing rivals with the suspect, a middle-aged man, and their dispute was related to the birds and the planting of illegal vegetable patches, according to the outlet.

The suspect shot and killed the three men on April 29, and he also turned the gun on himself before police arrived, according to RTP Notícias, a Portuguese news outlet.

The incident is now under investigation, according to the outlet.

The shooting was described as “an isolated situation,” Andreia Gonçalves, the city’s police commissioner said, according to the Associated Press.

Portugal maintains strict gun laws, though firearms can be legally obtained for hunting, according to the outlet.

A representative for the Setúbal police did not respond to a McClatchy News request for comment.

Google Translate was used to translate articles from Publico and RTP Notícias.

This story was originally published May 1, 2023 at 11:12 AM with the headline "Man shoots three rivals dead in pigeon-racing dispute, Portugal police say."