Story By: Alex Cope, Sub Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Newsflash

This former participant on The Voice Kids has been shot dead at the age of 15 by a gang reportedly targeting his brother-in-law.

The Brazilian Military Police said Arthur Almeida, known as Tuca Almeida, who starred in the country’s version of The Voice Kids in 2018, had been shot dead in the city of Jaboatao dos Guararapes in the northeastern Brazilian state of Pernambuco.

Local media report six hooded men had gone into a shop and opened fire, with around 15 shots being fired.

The Civil Police said in a statement: “They were supposedly looking for the victim’s brother-in-law, who was at the scene accompanying the young man and managed to escape. The brother-in-law, according to preliminary investigations, is a prisoner who was released as a measure to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the prison system.”

Almeida starred in The Voice Kids at the age of 13, singing ‘Price Tag’ by British singer Jessie J, who was a judge on the British version of the show, in his first performance but the judges did not turn their chairs.

After being kicked off the show the youngster reportedly starred in regional publicity campaigns.

The Madre de Deus School where Almeida was studying wrote on social media: “The Madre de Deus family sympathises with the family’s pain.

“Tuca, as he was known, was a golden boy and very bright, who only did good as well as being an excellent student. The school, through its administration, teachers, employees, colleagues and community, deeply regrets this tragedy and in this moment of pain and loss our feelings go out to his family, friends and schoolmates. We are in mourning.”

The investigation is ongoing and no arrests have been reported.

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