Dramatic moment journalists duck for cover after media bus is raked with bullets near Olympic Park
Latest attack follows a controlled explosion at cycling and bullet hole in equestrian media tent
POLICE in Rio are investigating after a gun attack on an Olympic media bus in Rio last night.
The bus was transporting around a dozen journalists to the Olympic Park when its windows were smashed by bullets.
Witnesses described hearing a "popping noise" before the glass shattered and passengers ducked to the ground for cover.
Photographs of terrified passengers have also emerged showing their horror as they were attacked.
A technician was injured in the arm by shards of broken glass from the two smashed windows.
The bus was travelling from a basketball match in the Deodoro zone to the Olympic Park when the gunmen struck at around 7:30pm local time (11:30pm BST).
The IOC last night wouldn't commit to saying it was a gun attack despite witness reports.
It said the damage had been caused by "objects coming from the surrounding area";.
Elsewhere in the city bomb squads were dealing with a suspect package left near Copacabana beach last night.
Armed forces stood guard as experts carried out a controlled explosion outside the luxury Copacabana Palace hotel.
Describing the shooting, a Press Association photographer travelling on the media bus said: "There was a popping, cracking noise.
"The bus didn't come to a stop but paused. Everyone was on the floor so I got on the floor as well.
"The bus driver stopped the bus about half a minute afterwards. People started shouting 'just keep going'.
"After a couple of minutes we had a police escort.
"A few minutes later the bus pulled over on the motorway and the driver spoke to the police.
"Then we all got back on the bus and came back to the main transport mall.
RELATED ARTICLES
"There were minor injuries from glass shards but nobody was seriously hurt."
The IOC said in a statement: "We are aware that a media bus travelling from Deodoro to Barra on the Transcarioca had two windows broken by objects coming from the surrounding area.
"The security authorities are now investigating the incident and we await their report before making further comment."
The journey between the Olympic Hockey Centre in the Deodoro zone and the media transport mall in the Olympic Park, where the Main Press Centre is situated, takes around 20 minutes.
The photographer continued: "We were well away from the hockey venue. We were getting close to the Main Press Centre.
"There were pierced holes in the glass when it happened.
"The two windows did not shatter immediately but one of them shattered as we drove along the motorway.
"That is when the driver pulled over and talked to a policeman."
A statement from the Rio Olympic Games organising committee (ROCOG) read: "According to the driver's report, the media transport bus left the Youth Arena in Deodoro at around 1930 this evening, Tuesday August 9, travelling towards the Olympic Park.
"When on the expressway Transolimpica, near Curicica, the driver heard a noise from inside the bus which he thought was photography equipment falling down.
"Immediately, he looked in the rear-view mirror and noticed that the passengers were lying on the ground.
"He continued to drive for a few meters until he saw a police car and stopped.
"At this time, he realised that two windows on the same side of the bus were broken.
"He resumed the route under the escort of the police car and the broken windows began to give way further.
"After arriving at the Media Centre, he found that two passengers had minor injuries caused by broken glass cuts.
"The driver will provide a statement to police this evening accompanied by a security manager of the Organising Committee of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.
"Also tonight the bus will be subjected to an official inspection by the police. Preliminary results will be released as they become available.
"The Area Defense General Coordinator (CGDA) of the army and the military police informed that patrols are being increased in the area."
The incident on Tuesday is the latest of several to blight the Games.
On Saturday a bullet flew through the side of the media work room at Deodoro.
It was confirmed on Monday by Mario Andrada, the chief spokesman for Rio 2016's organising committee, that the bullet was fired at a security camera on a police blimp from one of the Brazilian city's favelas and the international equestrian media were not the intended target.
"According to the security forces the bullet came from a community far from here," said Andrada. "They were aiming at the blimp which carries cameras.
"The same source, from the ministry of defence, says the first findings showed that the bullet arrived with low energy and low speed."