RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The Federal Police on Tuesday, December 21, arrested the leader of a militia that operates in the community of Rio das Pedras, western Rio de Janeiro. During the operation, a 5-year-old boy and a Federal Police officer were injured by gunshots that would have been fired by one of the militiaman’s security guards.
In a statement, the Federal Police said that during a raid near the entrance to the community, the agents were met with gunshots fired by the security guard.
“It is important to stress that Federal Police officers did not shoot and immediately provided first aid to the child and rushed him to Hospital Lourenço Jorge, in Barra da Tijuca,” the corporation stated.
According to investigators, the boy’s health condition is stable. The Federal Police also says that it is providing “all possible assistance to the victim and his family.”
Experts were called to analyze the scene and the data will support the inquiry opened “to investigate the circumstances of the event and the perpetrator of the shot that struck the child and the officer,” the Federal Police said.