Ryan Lochte and 3 other Olympic swimmers robbed at gunpoint in Rio
The U.S. Olympics Committee says four U.S. swimmers, including gold medalist Ryan Lochte, were robbed at gunpoint in Rio early Sunday. The robbery occurred when Lochte and teammates Gunnar Bentz, Jack Conger, and Jimmy Feigen, were headed to the Olympic Village and the taxi they were in was stopped by a group of people posing as armed police, said USOC spokesperson Patrick Sandusky. The attackers demanded the swimmers hand over their money and belongings.
"And then the guy pulled out his gun, he cocked it, put it to my forehead and he said, 'Get down,'" Lochte told NBC News. "And I put my hands up, I was like 'whatever.' He took our money, he took my wallet — he left my cell phone, he left my credentials."
Sandusky said all four athletes are now "safe and cooperating with the authorities."
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Jessica Hullinger is a writer and former deputy editor of The Week Digital. Originally from the American Midwest, she completed a degree in journalism at Indiana University Bloomington before relocating to New York City, where she pursued a career in media. After joining The Week as an intern in 2010, she served as the title’s audience development manager, senior editor and deputy editor, as well as a regular guest on “The Week Unwrapped” podcast. Her writing has featured in other publications including Popular Science, Fast Company, Fortune, and Self magazine, and she loves covering science and climate-related issues.
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