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The bodybuilder was reportedly blasted multiple times at close range while leaving his local gym.
13:28, Thu, Mar 26, 2026 Updated: 13:29, Thu, Mar 26, 2026
The Brazilian was a well-known local figure and had thousands of Instagram followers (Image: JamPress)
A bodybuilding influencer has been shot dead while leaving the gym in a horror surprise attack. Beto Cunha was reportedly blasted multiple times at close range while leaving a gym in the coastal city of Salvador, Brazil, on the evening of Wednesday, March 25. The suspect was thought to have been riding a motorbike with an app delivery bag when they confronted the influencer as he was leaving the facility.
Witnesses said the attacker opened fire within seconds of coming face to face with their victim. Local authorities are trying to establish whether Mr Cunha was deliberately targeted by the gunman or if it was a case of a robbery gone wrong.
The influencer was shot multiple times while leaving the Salvador gym (Image: JamPress)
Mr Cunha, who had over 6,500 followers on Instagram, also had more than 30 years of experience in the fitness industry.
He was known for promoting safe and effective weight loss methods and sharing content on high-performance weight training, as reported by NeedToKnow.
The influencer's followers described him as an exemplary figure who campaigned for the poorest people in his home city.
A family member claimed to have no idea why anyone would want to kill him, adding that the community has been shaken by his alleged murder.
Mr Cunha last posted on Instagram on March 11, advising his followers to watch what they give their children to eat.
He said: "Your child only eats what you buy. Healthy children and teenagers, without any pathalogical conditions that limit their diet, should not be responsible for choosing what they eat everyday.
"Parents define the home's food environment. If the pantry is full of cookies, sodas, chips, sweets and other ultra-processed foods, rich in sugar, fat and additives, it's natural for the child to consume this type of food.
"The truth is simple: the responsibility for the quality of children's diets is not theirs, it's ours, the parents."
Reacting to the news, one of his fans said: "This could happen to anyone! I'm seriously thinking about leaving Salvador."
Another described him as "a nice polite guy" and a third added: "It's shocking what we've become, may god comfort his family."
The investigation into his death is ongoing.
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North and northeastern Brazil, including Salvador, has recorded a spike in violence over recent years, with the homicide rate in the region 41.5% higher than the national average in 2023.
The trend has been linked to economic insecurity and the rise of mafia-style organised crime groups, which the Brazilian Government is attempting to tackle through a multi-faceted strategy including enhanced policing, international co-operation and asset seizure.
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