Video: Brazilian referee pulls out gun on the field after player allegedly punched him

A soccer referee in Brazil has landed himself in hot water after pulling out a gun in the middle of a game.

Camilo Eustáquio de Souza, a police officer, was refereeing an amateur game in the city of Passos when he was allegedly hit by a player, Marcos Lopes Vieira, according to The Sun.

De Souza responded by jogging to the sideline and retrieving his gun and handcuffs. He argued later that he did nothing wrong.

“My actions were not an exaggeration—the exaggeration was down to the behavior of the player,” de Souza said, according to The Sun. “I was in charge of the game and to bring things under control I made the decision to act in my capacity as a police officer and arrest a citizen who assaulted me.”

De Souza could face a ban of two years for his actions.

This is not the first time something like this has happened, either. In 2015, another amateur ref pulled out a piece during an argument over a red card. Sadly, violence is not uncommon in the amateur ranks of Brazilian soccer. In 2013, a player was stabbed to death by a referee, who was then decapitated by fans.