A British millionaire who was shot dead in Argentina may have been targeted because of his wealth, police sources have claimed.
Matthew Gibbard, 50, was killed and his stepson Stefan Zone, 28, needed surgery after the pair were attacked outside their hotel in capital Buenos Aires on Saturday.
The businessman, who ran a multi-million pound holiday and retirement company, had arrived in the country for Christmas break with his family in the Puerto Madero waterfront district only hours earlier.
Dramatic CCTV footage showed criminals pulling up on a motorbike as the Brits got out of a taxi before Mr Gibbard was shot at point-blank range.
The 50-year-old was given CPR outside the five-star £350-a-night Faena Hotel but tragically could not be saved. Mr Zone, who need surgery, is now said to be no longer in danger.
A police source told the Daily Mail the millionaire may have been singled out before he arrived at the resort for a Christmas break with his family.
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The minibus they were travelling in was followed by the motorbike and two cars as it travelled from Ezeiza Airport, investigators believe.
The source said: "We have checked cameras at the airport and along the route to the hotel and they were being followed all the way. Not just the motorbike but two cars as well.
"We are convinced this wasn't a random attack and could be the work of an organised gang who knew that they were wealthy.
"The transfer company would have been told about the calibre of their client, and if Mr Gibbard was bringing in more than $10,000 (£7,500) he would have declared it at the airport."
The perpetrators escaped after the attack and police are still searching for them.
Cameras had captured the thugs trying to rip the bags from their victims' hands before shots are fired.
After a tussle, Mr Zone is seen writhing in agony holding his left leg after being the first to be hit.
The sound of the shot led Mr Gibbard to grapple with the men before he is violently pushed to the road and shot.
He was hit through his armpit and into his chest leading him to have a cardiac arrest.
A witness told Canal America 24 that there was a commotion outside the hotel and he saw a person covered in blood on the ground as they were given medical treatment.
The witness, named only as Florencia, added: “When I reached the corner of the hotel I saw that there was a person lying at the front door and they were being attended to.
"A motorcycle passed, wanted to steal and shot them.
"After 15 minutes, paramedics came to assist them. It was very serious what happened. The delinquents escaped. It is supposed to be a safe area and is monitored by the Prefecture."
Mr Gibbard is reported to have lived in Lowick, near Kettering, in Northamptonshire with his wife, Suzanna, 52.
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."
