Former El Salvador soccer star Alfredo Pacheco shot dead

El Salvador’s most-capped footballer Alfredo Pacheco has been shot dead at a petrol station in his homeland, the Salvadoran attorney general’s office said.

Pacheco was with a group of friends chatting at a petrol station when an unknown assailant opened fire at the group.

Two people who were travelling with Pacheco were injured and taken to a nearby hospital in the city of Santa Ana, 66 km west of the capital San Salvador.

“The attorney general’s office in Santa Ana processed the crime scene of the murder of Alfredo Pacheco at 3.30 am in a petrol station,” an official said.

The 33-year-old played for the Salvadoran sides Club Deportivo FAS and Asociacion Deportiva Isidro Metapan.

¡El cuerpo se va, pero la Gloria queda!
Siempre te recordaremos “Chele” pic.twitter.com/jcFAARo8WD

— Club Deportivo FAS (@CDeportivoFAS) December 27, 2015

The left-back also played for MLS outfit New York Red Bulls and won 86 caps for his country, scoring seven goals, but his career ended in controversy.

Our thoughts and prayers are with Alfredo Pacheco's family & friends.

#RBNY

— New York Red Bulls (@NewYorkRedBulls) December 27, 2015

Pacheco was banned from the sport by the Salvadoran soccer federation in September 2013 when it was found he had been involved in match fixing.

El Salvador has seen its murder rate skyrocket this year with homicides up 55 percent compared with last year. So far this year, there have been 6,068 murders according to police data.

#DEP Alfredo Alberto Pacheco. [1/12/1983 – 27/12/2015]
Por toda tu entrega, garra, calidad, golazos y esas 6 copas pic.twitter.com/Etf5njidE2

— Club Deportivo FAS (@CDeportivoFAS) December 27, 2015