RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – At least 8 vans were set on fire in Rio’s West Zone on Thursday morning. The incidents were registered in neighborhoods such as Campo Grande and Santa Cruz, areas controlled by armed militia groups.
Due to the attacks, the circulation of vans in the region was suspended and the supply of buses was reduced- and their routes were changed. The State Police reported that teams from all the region’s precincts were patrolling the main roads and flying over the area to prevent new attacks.
On social networks, residents of these neighborhoods reported heavy shooting, including towards a group of motorcycle taxi drivers. In the late morning, three deaths were reported.
Thursday’s attack was allegedly caused by members – and dissidents – of Rio’s largest militia faction, which split after the death of the group’s leader in June.
Wellington da Silva Braga, aka Ecko, was the most wanted criminal in the state and was killed on June 12 during a Civil Police operation. He was shot early in the morning while visiting his wife and children in the Três Pontes community in Paciência, also in the west zone.
After Ecko’s death the group split. One side was led by Luis Antônio da Silva Braga, aka Zinho, Ecko’s brother. The other was run by Danilo Dias Lima, aka Tandera. These are said to be the groups involved in the fires and shootings yesterday morning.