14 DAY TRIAL // Hector Camacho, also known as Macho, a former boxing world champ, will be taken off life support in a matter of hours, his publicist confirms for TMZ.
Camacho was shot in the face and neck the other day in Puerto Rico, in what police described as a shooting between two vehicles.
The driver of the car Camacho was in was killed on sight; the boxer was rushed to the hospital in critical condition, with various reports saying he may be paralyzed for life as a result.
As it turns out, his injuries were much worse: Camacho went into cardiac arrest and was pronounced brain dead shortly afterwards and put on life support. His family initially said they would keep him on it for as long as possible.
They’ve decided the time has come, the aforementioned celebrity e-zine says.
“Boxing legend Hector ‘Macho’ Camacho will be taken off life support today, the boxing legend's rep tells TMZ. According to the rep, Camacho's family made the decision to remove him from life support after doctors declared he was brain dead,” TMZ writes.
“The rep says the family is currently making funeral arrangements – and are deciding between holding the services in either Puerto Rico or New York,” the same media outlet says.
As of now, an official statement is yet to be made.
Reports online note that police discovered 10 bags of cocaine in the car the boxer was in, 9 of which were on the driver’s person.
Because of this finding, there’s serious speculation that the shooting may have been a drug deal gone bad or, at the very least, drug-related in some way.
Until more details on this emerge, the sports industry mourns the great Hector “Macho” Camacho.
“We have done everything we could,” says Dr. Ernesto Torres, director of the Centro Medico trauma center in San Juan. “We have to tell the people of Puerto Rico and the entire world that Macho Camacho has died, he is brain dead.”