Colombian player says he didn't mean to kill fan

MADRID (AP) - A Colombian football player who admitted to killing a fan earlier this month called the shooting a drunken accident that resulted from his being attacked.

Javier Florez turned himself into authorities in the Colombian city of Barranquilla hours after fatally shooting the fan, who had been taunting him after Athletic Junior lost in the local league on July 5. Florez admitted to being drunk and reacting after a stone was thrown at his car.

"I was drunk, full of hate, of fury. They challenged me to fight. I went up to them, pulled the gun out and one of them jumped at me to take it away," Florez told Spanish sports daily Marca. "In this altercation, the horrible thing happened. I shot several times. I don't remember very well."

Florez denied that he had intended to kill the man.

"I parked the car and went to confront them," he said. "I was carrying a gun and thought it would scare them."

Marca said Florez is being charged by local prosecutors with murder, which carries a maximum penalty of 50 years in prison. He is expected to stand trial in the upcoming months.

"Alcohol and weapons should never mix," Florez said. "This has caused me a lot of suffering."