According to Brazilian police, eight men were killed at a socer fan club in the city of Sao Paulo, Brazil's largest metropolis.

The fans, supporters of the Corinthians club, were said to be preparing banners for a match when gunmen burst upon the scene. As reported by the BBC, the gunmen ordered seven fans to lie down before shooting them. The last man hit was shot as he tried to escape.

Witnesses in the area described three gunmen running into the club, which was located in a working class suburb of Sao Paulo, late Saturday night.

Police suspect that the killings were likely drug related.

The slain fans were having a barbecue as they prepared for the Corinthians' next match.

Sao Paulo police are supposing that the Pavilhao Nove group might have had ties to criminal gangs, suggesting that the murders likely had more to do with a dispute over drug trafficking than anything associated with sports.

"Through witnesses, we are already exploring a line of investigation, which is not leading us to believe it was caused by fan rivalry," said detective Arlindo Jose Negrao, according to The Associated Press.

"We even have possible suspects."

Violence in Brazilian football is an increasing problem, as supporters of teams in several major cities are using their club allegiances to organize criminal activity outside of the stadiums.

A great deal of the soccer violence that occurs in or around Brazilian stadiums is traced directly back to fan clubs, and the police often investigate the groups for their possible links with drug traffickers.

Juca Kfouri, one of Brazil's best-known sports commentators, said of the situation, "It is widely known that criminal organizations are inside of all fan clubs. Organized crime uses these fan groups as a front for their misdeeds."