Police operation in Rio de Janeiro favela claims at least 18 lives

The Civil and Military Police of Rio de Janeiro confirmed Thursday night (21) the deaths of at least 18 people after a police operation in the Complexo do Alemão favela. This information was given in a conversation with journalists.

According to police officials, it involved 16 suspects, a police officer and a resident. The operation was carried out on Thursday morning by the battalions BOPE and Core.

The military police officer killed during the operation was 38-year-old sergeant Bruno de Paula Costa. According to the MP (Military Police), he worked in the region’s UPP (Pacification Police), which criminals would have hit in retaliation for the police operation.

According to the police, the operation aimed to combat a criminal group allegedly responsible for bank, car, and cargo robberies in the Méier, Irajá, and Pavuna neighborhoods.

The Operational Secretary of the Civil Police, Ronaldo Oliveira, said that the suspects “are targeting police officers.” He also said he would “prefer that they had not reacted.”

The coordinator of Core, Fabrício Oliveira, said that the Civil Police of RJ will investigate possible abuses of officers in the operation, “It is clear that if there are criticisms and complaints related to the police operation, they will be investigated, but what we are talking about is that criminals are forcing part of the population to cause trouble during the police operation.”

According to the company, criminals set fire to barricades, poured oil on the streets, and attacked the police during the police operation.

On social media, residents reported the arrival of vehicles at the complex around 5 a.m. this morning (July 21) and images of gunfire during the police operation. In other videos, a barricade with fire can be seen.

In a statement, the DPRJ (Public Defender of Rio de Janeiro) said that there was “evidence of serious rights violations” and that the Ombudsman was following the case on the ground.

Here is the full note:

“The Rio Public Defender’s Office is following with concern the information about the police operation in the Complexo do Alemão in the north of the city. The Public Defender, through its Office of the Ombudsman, is present on the ground, along with the Alerj and OAB Human Rights Committees, the State Human Rights Council, and local officials.

“There is evidence of serious rights violations, and it is possible that this is one of the operations with the highest death rate in Rio de Janeiro.”