Like a war zone: In 2021, there were an average of 13 shootings per day in Brazil’s Rio de Janeiro

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – According to the Fogo Cruzado Institute’s annual report, there were 4,653 shootings/firearms incidents in the Rio de Janeiro metropolitan region in 2021. On average, there were 13 shootings per day during the year.

Compared to 2020, when the data was concentrated at 4,585, the number of entries increased by 1%.

Of the 4,653 shootings, 1,354 (representing 29%) occurred during police actions and operations. This figure represents a 15% increase compared to 2020 when there were 1,177 shootings of this type.

A total of 2,098 people were shot in the Rio de Janeiro metropolitan region, of which 1,084 died and 1,014 were wounded. Compared to the previous year, there was an increase of 21% in deaths and 13% in injuries; in 2020, 1,795 people were shot – 896 deaths and 899 injuries.

SUMMARY

Total number of shootings/injuries caused by firearms in the Rio de Janeiro metropolitan region: 4,653

• Average number of shootings/firearm accidents per day: 13
• Total number of people shot (dead + wounded): 2,098
• Total number of dead: 1,084
• Total number of wounded: 1,014
• Day with most shootings/firearm injuries: 04/22 with 28 registrations
• Day with most dead: 06/05, with 29 dead
• Day with most wounded: 03/02, with 12 wounded
• Month with most shootings/firearm accidents: March, with 606 recorded cases
• Month with most dead: January, with 116 dead
• Month with most wounded: March, with 112 wounded
• Of the total number of shootings/parents (4,653), 29% had victims (1,348 cases)
• Of the total number of shootings (4,653), 29% involved police action (1,354 cases).

REGIONS

The Northern Zone of the capital was the region in the Rio de Janeiro metropolitan area most affected by armed violence, where 30% of the shootings occurred.

In the Metropolitan East, on the other hand, 35% of the shootings were concentrated in police operations and actions, 33% of the deaths and 42% of the injuries.

Both the North Zone and the Baixada Fluminense had more shootings than the West Zone, the Center, and the South Zone combined.

North Zone: 1,418 shootings, 390 shootings during actions/operations, 223 dead and 239 injured.

Baixada Fluminense: 1,113 shootings, 269 shootings during actions/operations, 336 deaths and 213 injuries

Metropolitan East: 1,030 shootings, 480 shootings during actions/operations, 356 deaths and 424 injured

West Side: 800 shootings, 140 shootings during actions/operations, 125 deaths and 85 injuries

Downtown: 214 shootings, 57 shootings during actions/operations, 33 deaths and 42 injuries

South Zone: 78 shootings, 18 shootings during actions/operations, 11 deaths and 11 injuries

COMMUNITIES

Of the 21 municipalities that make up the metropolitan region, the city of Rio accounted for 54% of shootings, 45% of shootings in police actions/operations, 36% of deaths, and 37% of injuries in 2021. The five municipalities most affected by armed violence were:

Rio de Janeiro: 2,510 shootings, 605 shootings in actions/interventions, 392 deaths, and 377 injuries.

São Gonçalo: 649 shootings, 291 shootings during actions/operations, 230 deaths and 296 injuries

Duque de Caxias: 322 shootings, 69 shootings during actions/operations, 62 dead and 53 injured

Belford Roxo: 279 shootings, 70 shootings during actions/operations, 64 killed and 48 injured

Niterói: 253 shootings, 126 shootings during actions/operations, 69 deaths and 77 injured

NEIGHBORHOODS

The five most affected were:

Praça Seca – Rio de Janeiro: 176 shootings, 20 shootings in actions/interventions, 7 dead and 5 injured

Vila Kennedy – Rio de Janeiro: 147 shootings, 19 shootings during actions/operations, 13 dead and 4 injured

Tijuca – Rio de Janeiro: 97 shootings, 26 shootings during actions/operations, 5 dead and 11 injured

Olavo Bilac – Duque de Caxias: 87 shootings, 10 shootings in actions/operations, 8 dead

Complexo do Alemão – Rio de Janeiro: 82 shootings, 21 shootings during actions/operations, 1 dead and 11 injured

For three consecutive years (2018 – 2020), Vila Kennedy was the neighborhood most affected by armed violence. In 2021, Praça Seca was the neighborhood with the most shootings. Both neighborhoods are located in the West Zone.

CITY OF RIO DE JANEIRO

With 2,510 records, the city of Rio de Janeiro concentrated 54% of the shootings that occurred in the metropolitan region of Rio in 2021. The capital city of Fluminense, which includes the North, West, Center, and South zones, accounted for 45% of shootings in police operations, 36% of deaths, and 37% of injuries in 2021.

The neighborhoods of Rio de Janeiro most affected by armed violence were:

Praça Seca – Zona Oeste: 176 shootings, 20 shootings during actions/interventions, 7 deaths and 5 injuries.

Vila Kennedy – West Zone: 147 shootings, 19 shootings in actions/operations, 13 dead and 4 injured

Tijuca – North Zone: 97 shootings, 26 during actions/operations, 5 dead and 11 injured

Complexo do Alemão – North Zone: 82 shootings, 21 in actions/operations, 1 dead and 10 injured

Realengo – West Zone: 76 shootings, 20 shootings during actions/operations, 17 dead and 15 injured

ABOUT FOGO CRUZADO

Fogo Cruzado is an institute that uses technology to create and disseminate open and collaborative data on armed violence, strengthening democracy through social change and the protection of life.

Using its own innovative methodology, the institution’s data lab creates more than 20 unprecedented indicators of violence in the metropolitan areas of Rio de Janeiro, Recife, and soon in other Brazilian cities.

Through a cell phone application, Fogo Cruzado receives real-time verified information on shootings and makes it available in the only open database on armed violence in Latin America, which can be accessed for free through the institute’s API.