The 19-year-old, who was the juvenile national champion in his kickboxing category, was shot in Plaza de Armas, close to the town of Valdehornillos, on Sunday, the municipality mayor Víctor Menacho confirmed to Spanish news agency Efe.
He reportedly said that Lozano was out hunting with four friends when one of their guns accidentally went off, hitting Pintado at close range.
The teen died instantly from a wound in the abdomen. He will be transported to a funeral home in the neighboring municipality of Santa Amalia after a forensic examination.
The Guardia Civil is still taking statements from the friends of the deceased as part of their investigation.
Menacho told Efe that three days of mourning have been decreed in the town which is where the youngster was born.
Lozano was a well-known figure in the regions of Badajoz and Extremadura. Due to his success the sport had become very popular in the areas.
The sport was also part of his family life and he had participated with his sister Rocío in the last European youth category.
The news came as the Absolute Kickboxing Championship competition started this week in Alovera, Guadalajara.
Kickboxers at the competition reportedly held a minute’s silence at the beginning of the opening day.
The kickboxing community has paid homage, with Cristo Gamero, president of the sport’s national federation, saying: “The FEKM collective joins the great loss of Kickboxing in general and of the Extremadura federation in particular. Our most sincere support to family and friends for this loss.”
The Santa Amalia Sports Club wrote in a tweet: “We regret with great pain the death of our player and one of our captains of the youth team, Julián Lozano Pintado.
“From the Santa Amalia Sports Club we want to convey all our support to his family, friends and neighbors of Valdehornillos.”
Extremadura Football Federation has also expressed its condolences telling the publication Hoy: “We join in the signs of grief over the death of Julián Lozano Pintado, a youth player for Santa Amalia. All our support to family members and clubmates. Rest in peace.”
