Armed men killed eight people in a raid on a Sao Paulo football fan club on Saturday night that has close links to a notorious, now-closed prison. Police said witnesses told them that around midnight on Saturday three gunmen stormed the dark and gritty site where Corinthians' fan group Pavilhao 9 meets underneath a highway overpass. They ordered the victims to lie face down on the ground and shot seven in the head. An eighth man was shot but tried to escape, reached a gas station and was later taken to a nearby hospital where he died. Armed police stand guard outside the headquarters of Corinthians fan club Pavilhao 9 on Sunday morning . A distraught woman talks on her mobile phone outside the building where seven men were executed . A policeman shows the bullet shells that were collected at the scene of the shooting west of Sao Paulo . Detective Arlindo Jose Negrao ruled out a fight between rival fan groups. He would not reveal the motive behind the attack, however, saying that could interfere with the probe. 'Through witnesses, we are already exploring a line of investigation, which is not leading us to believe it was caused by fan rivalry,' Negrao said at a press conference. 'We even have possible suspects.' The victims were having a barbecue at the club at the time and making flags with their team's colours for Sunday's anticipated match between Corinthians and Palmeiras. The fan group did not answer several phone calls. Pavilhao 9 was founded by a group of Corinthians fans who played football with inmates at Brazil's Carandiru prison, known widely for a massacre that left 111 inmates dead, which was turned into a movie. The prison is now closed. Police say that the killings, that took place late on Saturday night, are not related to any football rivalry . A woman is comforted by a policeman as she talks on a mobile phone outside the fan club . The Corinthians team did not respond to a request for information but posted the word 'mourning' against a black backdrop on its official Facebook page. Former president of the team and current federal congressman, Andres Sanchez, said on the social network he was 'deeply saddened to learn of what had happened at Pavilhao 9, with which I had a strong bond since I was a kid.' Much of the football violence that breaks out in or near Brazilian stadiums is traced to fan clubs. Police often investigate fan groups for ties with drug traffickers. The victims were having a barbecue as they prepared for Corinthians match against Palmeiras on Sunday when gunmen raided the premises . Brazilian police guard entrance to the building where the fan group were making flags ahead of Sunday's game . 'It is widely known that criminal organisations are inside of all fan clubs. Organised crime uses these fan groups as a front for their misdeeds,' Juca Kfouri, one of Brazil's best-known sports commentators, told radio station CBN. Last year, dozens of members of another Corinthians' fan club, Gavioes da Fiel, invaded the team's training centre. Angered by the team's performance, they attacked employees and grabbed Peruvian striker Paolo Guerrero by his neck, forcing other players to flee into a locker room and barricade themselves in until police arrived. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.
Eight members of Corinthians' Pavilhao 9 fan group killed on Saturday .
Armed men raided the group as they had a barbecue at the club .
Seven were shot in the head while one was wounded but died in hospital .
Police say the killings are not linked to any football rivalry .
The supporters group has links to a notorious prison that is now closed .