‘I dived in front of her’: Brit tourist, 38, may never walk again after trying to fend off mugger who shot fiancée dead
A BRIT tourist has been told that he may never walk again after trying to fend off a mugger that brutally shot his fiancée dead.
Philip Donald Eric Gray, 38, from Epsom, Surrey said he can’t feel his legs after he and his partner Ruth Mary Silva de Oliveira Ribeiro, 46, were shot.
The couple were staying at a beach side guesthouse in the fishing village of Praia do Cumbuco in the north of the country before tragedy struck.
They were reportedly meant to travel to Ruth’s hometown of Macapa where they planned to wed.
But that dream turned to a nightmare when a gunman burst into their hotel on Monday, demanding cash in what turned into a deadly confrontation.
CCTV footage shows the crash-helmet thug run up to the couple and grab onto mum-of-three Ruth.
Brit Philip then intervenes, pulling her back before the gunman holds up the weapon at eye level – to which he ducks.
The couple manage to keep hold of their things and bravely try to fight off the armed mugger.
But moments later, the gunman reportedly opened fire and bolted out the door empty-handed – leaving Ruth tragically dead and Philip badly injured from being shot three times.
He was rushed to hospital with his brutal injuries and reports say he may be left paralysed from the deadly attack.
Speaking to Newsflash, Epsom local Philip said: “I now can’t feel my legs.
“I am still awaiting for an operation. I’m not sure what will happen, all I know is today her body is being transported back to Macapa and I never got to say goodbye.”
When the Brit was shot, one of the three bullets reportedly hit his spine which could result in life-changing injuries.
Philip said how that the robber was demanding in English “give me the bag” – but he managed to force him off before punching him, he claims.
He said: “He got a shot off and missed so he fired a second shot and missed, and he then took aim at my [fiancée] and I dived in front of her, I grabbed [her] and wrapped my arms around her to protect her.
“I know that I put my life on the line but I wanted to protect her because I loved her.”
The horrific death of his partner has left Philip devastated, who said he hasn’t stopped crying since Monday.
The Brit added: “I only found out from my mum yesterday on the phone that she passed away.”
Philip explained he was unaware of how the investigation was going and that cops had been interviewing him often since the attack.
Local media previously reported that the gunman was aware the pair were carrying £4,154 in cash.
But Philip said that his fiancée’s life was cruelly taken over an insignificant £130 that the gunman took along with his carry-on suitcase.
Ruth has tragically left behind three children – her eldest being 29, twins aged 27 and a three-year-old grandson.
Her twin daughter, Clara Thalia, said that her and other family members first heard of the fatality by Philip himself.
She said: “My [soon-to-be] stepfather, even though he was shot, even though he was bleeding a lot, he managed to make a video call to my brother.
“My brother spoke English to him, and he said he had been shot.
“There is a risk that my stepfather will become paraplegic.”
She added that they initially avoided telling heartbroken Philip that Ruth had died due to the pain he was in from his injuries.
The bullet that killed Ruth passed through her arm before going into her body, it’s believed.
Philip currently remains hospitalised and is awaiting surgery.
Speaking on his relationship with his beloved Ruth, Philip said: “Me and my fiancée Mary had been together for almost six years, we met online and she came to London two years ago and our relationship blossomed from there.”
Police are hunting the gunman and the accomplice who helped him escape the scene.
The Secretary of Public Security and Social Defence stated that four different murder squads are investigating the killing, like the Tourist Protection Delegation and the State Police Homicide Unit.
