Honduran footballer Arnold Peralta shot dead

Honduras national team member and former Rangers midfielder Arnold Peralta was killed in his hometown of La Ceiba, Honduras on Thursday, as confirmed during a news conference, courtesy of The Associated Press.

Peralta, 26, was shot dead outside of a mall parking lot by an unidentified gunman on a motorcycle, his father Carlos explained in a news conference Thursday evening.

"This is terrible. They killed my exemplary son. I can't say more because of the pain I feel," Carlos said during Thursday's news conference.

"This is a tragic death that the national sport mourns," Osman Madrid, director of the Honduran football federation added.

The police have reported that no suspects were in custody, and that the motive for the shooting is unknown, though they have ruled out robbery, as per The Associated Press' statement.

A defensive midfielder with 24 appearances for the Honduras national side, Arnold made his senior debut in a friendly match against Paraguay in 2011. He represented Los Catrachos in seven of the country's World Cup qualifiers, the 2012 Olympics and the 2014 World Cup.

The Club Deportivo Olimpia player was scheduled to play in a friendly match against Cuba next week.