Police Officer Shot in Rio’s Complexo do Alemão Dies; Second Police Death in 24 Hours

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – State police officer Fellipe Brasileiro Pinheiro, 34 years old, who was shot in an operation in the Complexo do Alemão, in the North Zone of Rio, died in the early hours of Sunday, September 22nd. The information was released by the State Secretariat of Health.

Fellipe Brasileiro had been hospitalized in critical condition at Getúlio Vargas State Hospital since Wednesday, September 18th, after being shot in the chest. The police action in the community was aimed at relocating a police cabin in the region.

The policeman was part of the Tactical Intervention Group of the Pacifying Police Unit of Alemão. This was the second incident in which he was shot during an operation in Complexo do Alemão.

Tough week,’ says PM spokesperson

The death of PM Fellipe Brasileiro was the second in less than 24 hours in Rio. Corporal Leandro de Oliveira Silva, 39 years old, was shot in the head and died on Saturday afternoon, September 21st in Benfica, North Zone of the city. He approached two men who were on a stolen motorcycle and was shot dead. He was the 44th police officer murdered this year in the state.

According to Rio de Janeiro State Police, the police officer and a colleague of the Pacification Police Command were patrolling close to the Triagem Train Station when they suspected two men on a motorcycle. They saw that the vehicle was stolen and approached the criminals.

During the approach, the men shot Leandro in the head. The clash occurred near a location known as Morar Carioca. The corporal was taken to Hospital Salgado Filho, but did not survive his injuries.

Leandro was married and had been in the corporation for eight years. Colonel Mauro Fleiss, a state police spokesperson, said the corporation is experiencing a difficult week.