Apple MacBook Shields Chinese Tourist From Bullet in Brazen Sao Paulo Mugging

Unlikely Guardian Angel: MacBook Stops Bullet, Saves Chinese Tourist in Brazil

In a dramatic turn of events that reads like a movie script, a Chinese tourist's Apple MacBook has been credited with saving his life during a violent mugging in Sao Paulo, Brazil. The incident, which occurred on October 1st, highlights an unexpected benefit of carrying your technology everywhere: it might just act as a life-saving shield.

The Terrifying Encounter

The tourist, identified by the pseudonym Zhang, was reportedly waiting for a car outside a gas station, preparing to depart for the airport after a business trip. His belongings, including a suitcase and a backpack containing crucial documents and his laptop, were close at hand. Suddenly, a vehicle pulled up, and a masked assailant armed with a pistol emerged. Zhang recounted on the social media platform Xiaohongshu that his immediate concern was for the vital documents and his MacBook inside his backpack. In a split-second decision, he turned and fled.

A Close Call and a Bullet-Riddled Laptop

According to Zhang, the assailant attempted to seize his belongings, firing several shots before escaping with the suitcase while Zhang continued to run. Though a gas station employee alerted the police, Zhang was informed that the chances of recovering his stolen luggage were slim. Undeterred, and prioritizing his departure, Zhang headed to the airport. It was during a security check that he made a startling discovery: a hole in his backpack. Embedded within the fabric was a bullet. The projectile had struck his Apple MacBook directly, its robust casing effectively halting its trajectory and preventing what could have been a fatal injury.

Financial Blow and a Stark Warning

Following the harrowing experience, Zhang estimated his losses at approximately 20,000 yuan, equating to roughly $2,800, a figure that accounted for the damaged MacBook and the contents of his stolen suitcase. This ordeal serves as a grim reminder of the high crime rates in Sao Paulo, a fact that local friends had reportedly warned Zhang about, advising him to refrain from carrying valuables in the city. While a stray bullet might leave one without internet access in Dallas, in this case, a well-placed Apple MacBook provided a far more critical form of connectivity – the connection to life itself.