Gabonese international and former FC Cincinnati forward Aaron Boupendza has died at the age of 28 after falling from the 11th floor of an apartment building in China, where he was playing for Chinese Super League club Zhejiang FC.
According to Turkiye Today, the incident occurred while Boupendza was with his brother.
Authorities have launched a formal investigation and are treating the circumstances surrounding the fall as suspicious.
Officials are reportedly examining whether an altercation occurred prior to the fall, with Boupendza’s brother expected to be questioned or taken into custody.
The Gabonese president, Brice Coltaire Oligui Nguema, expressed condolences in a public statement:
“It is with great sadness that I learned of the tragic passing of Aaron Boupendza, a talented centre-forward who brought honor to Gabonese football.
“I offer my sincere condolences to his family and loved ones. May God bless his soul.”
Boupendza, capped 35 times for Gabon, had a decade-long professional career across multiple continents.
He featured for clubs including CF Mounana, Bordeaux, Ajaccio, Hatayspor—where he was Turkish Süper Lig top scorer in 2020/21—Al-Shabab, FC Cincinnati, and most recently, Zhejiang FC.
