Rio Drug Wars Escalate, Young Mother Shot Dead Protecting Son

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – A “war” between drug traffickers over control of the São Carlos favela complex in Central Rio has been raging for over 24 hours. Rival faction criminals have been at war since Wednesday, August 26th, and continued on Thursday afternoon, August 27th.

Criminals began heading to the favelas on Wednesday afternoon. In the evening, a violent shooting could be heard from various parts of Rio Comprido and surrounding neighborhoods. On Thursday afternoon, more gunfire occurred, as reported live on TV Globo and GloboNews.

At least four incidents are connected to the invasion, according to the State Police (PM):

1) the gunfire clash in Lagoa, South Zone, with dozens of gunshots and grenades;
2) the death of Ana Cristina, shot by a rifle when she was protecting her son from gunfire;
3) the police;
4) a second kidnapping of residents in a village in the region.

The dispute over control of the complex – comprising the Querosene, São Carlos, Mineira, and Zinco hills – occurs between criminals from the Comando Vermelho (CV) and the Terceiro Comando Puro (TCP) factions. The CV invasion attempt on Wednesday was unsuccessful, according to the police.

Until this report’s last update:

• Five people died – one suspect, before the first kidnapping; Ana Cristina and three other suspects;
• Five people were injured – the condo porter taken hostage, the first kidnapper and two accomplices, in addition to a PM officer;
• 16 people arrested – two in the Lagoa clash (Wednesday afternoon), five involved in the first kidnapping, and nine more in the second kidnapping, including Léo Serrote, suspected of leading the invasion.

Below is an overview of the over 24 hours of violence in Rio de Janeiro:

1:30 PM on Wednesday: clash in Lagoa

Criminals wearing camouflage clothing and bulletproof vests were driving from Rocinha in São Conrado to Ladeira dos Tabajaras in Copacabana when the vehicle broke down on Borges de Medeiros Avenue opposite J.J. Seabra Street in Lagoa.

They got out on the road armed and were surprised by State Police officers of the Lagoa Presente Program. There was a gunfight and a Civil Police officer passing by in an unmarked car spotted the scene and joined the clash.

The gang managed to escape towards the Rebouças Tunnel and stole a couple’s car on the way. The chase continued with heavy gunfire exchange.

At least two people were injured – a police officer and a criminal. Two men were arrested. One of them was hiding in the mangrove swamp that borders Lagoa.

An on-site police investigation found over 40 casings scattered across the street and the sidewalk. In the car, a rifle (with ammunition and clips), 14 grenades, a pistol, and two radio communicators were seized.

Colonel Mauro Fliess, the PM spokesperson, said on Thursday, August 27th, that the criminals intended to invade São Carlos.

6 PM on Wednesday: heavy gunfire

Since early Wednesday evening, residents reported heavy gunfire in the São Carlos Complex, with blasts and grenades.

The command of the 5th PM Batallion (Praça da Harmonia) deployed teams to the site, and officers from the Special Police Operations Battalion (BOPE) were also in the region in an attempt to contain the clash.

7:00 PM on Wednesday: mother shot dead

Ana Cristina da Silva, 25, was heading toward the bar where she worked with her son when she was caught in the middle of a gunfight on Azevedo Lima Street – one of the accesses to São Carlos.

At the time of the shooting, she bent over her 3-year-old son to protect him and was shot twice by a rifle, once in the head and once in the stomach.

The heavy gunfire prevented Ana Cristina from being rescued by the fire department, according to the force’s advisor.

Relatives rushed her to Souza Aguiar Hospital, in the Center, but Ana Cristina was dead on arrival.

2 AM on Thursday: new clash and kidnapping

Eight criminals were fleeing in a white car when they were surprised by the PM at Aristides Lobo Street, in Rio Comprido.

In the gunfight, Renan Fortunato do Couto, who was in the car, fled to a condo, shooting at the building’s porter.

With the porter as hostage, Renan went up to the 17th floor and managed to get into an apartment where he held three hostages — a woman, her young daughter, and her elderly mother.

Footage shows that Renan shot the condo gate open and, after shooting the doorman, dragged him into the elevator.

According to Fliess, one of the hostages managed to send a cell phone text to her employer reporting the incident. The police were then called and quickly surrounded the building.

This first kidnapping lasted almost five hours and was terminated by the BOPE at around 7 AM.

Of the white car’s eight occupants, one died and two were shot and taken into custody at the hospital. The other four escaped. The kidnapper was arrested.

12:10 PM on Thursday: more shooting

Aristides Lobo Street had been cleared for traffic when a new clash broke out, and the road was once again blocked. Many shots were heard.

A car from the Riot Squad pointed guns into a building. According to the PM, criminals were trying to escape from Morro do São Carlos.

The BOPE searched the premises for criminals. Trade was preparing to open, but storekeepers decided to keep their doors shut.

2:50 PM on Thursday: another kidnapping

The kidnapping of another family occurred in the early afternoon on Thursday. At around 4 PM, the criminals surrendered after negotiations conducted by the BOPE.

The location is close to the São Carlos favela complex, where there has been a “war” going on between rival drug traffickers since Wednesday. With the arrival of police, the criminals fled and invaded this family’s home.

Mother panicked during the invasion

A mother filmed the moment when armed men were coming into the neighborhood. In the video, it is possible to see the silhouettes of men with rifles passing behind the door.

While the woman filmed, a child babbled and sang, while playing. Scared, the mother repeated to her son, “Shut up!”

In a note, the State Secretariat for Victims (SEVIT) stated that it offered psychological and social assistance to Ana Cristina da Silva’s family.

The psychosocial team was also present at the Souza Aguiar Municipal Hospital, at the Center, speaking with relatives of the porter who was held hostage along with other residents of a building in the same neighborhood.

Civil Police alerted the PM of a potential invasion

In a note also released on Thursday, the Civil Police said they had alerted the PM – two weeks ago – of a potential attempt to invade the São Carlos Complex.

The data, according to the Civil Police, were passed on to the MP’s Intelligence Department. However, the Civil Police statement failed to specify the day and time of the attack.

After contact, the PM would not have confirmed that the invasion would take place on Wednesday, according to the same statement.

What the Civil Police says

In a note, the State Civil Police Secretariat reported “that about two weeks ago the intelligence department of the 6th DP (Cidade Nova) detected activity involving drug traffickers from a criminal faction intending to take over the area of communities that form the São Carlos Complex and are controlled by another faction,” but “there was no intelligence on a set date and time.”

“The data were passed on to the Undersecretary of Intelligence of the Civil Police, who then forwarded the data to PM Intelligence. Despite the ongoing surveillance, no further intelligence was gathered that the event would take place on Wednesday.

“It should be noted that whenever there is word of this kind of activity, despite the absence of a clear definition of whether it will actually occur, the Civil and State Police plan occupation actions and the capture of criminals. The planning aims to undermine the potential coordination and activity of traffickers in this direction.

“SEPOL clarifies that it respects and has been complying with all judicial decisions. With the Supreme Court’s decision determining operations to be conducted in “absolutely exceptional” circumstances, with no mention of such circumstances, thereby leading to tremendous legal insecurity in the police planning, operations and routine, preventive actions to contain potential territorial disputes are left out of this exceptionality concept because they lack a planned date. Accordingly, the ruling forces the police to be reactive only because it fits the ‘exceptional cases’ mentioned in the Supreme Court’s ruling.”

Source: G1