State Police Officer Points Gun at Colleague’s Face After Argument in Downtown São Paulo

SÃO PAULO, BRAZIL – The State Police (PM) reported that it removed the two officers after footage was spread on social media on Friday, December 4th. The officer who pointed the gun at his colleague was arrested in the act for a military crime. The PM command classified the deed as “extremely serious and repulsive”.

Videos circulating on Friday on social media show two uniformed police officers arguing and one of them pointing a gun at the other’s face in downtown São Paulo. The event took place in the morning in the area of Santa Ifigênia Street, known for its popular trade, with heavy pedestrian and vehicle traffic.

The reason for the argument was the five minute delay in the lunch shift change. According to the police, the officer pointing the gun was the one late and the reaction against his colleague, a corporal, occurred when he was told that this delay would be reported to the higher command.

Reqused to comment on the matter, the Secretariat of Public Safety (SSP) reported that the officers involved in the argument were removed from street patrols as soon as the footage came to the force’s attention.

The officer who pointed the gun at his uniformed colleague was arrested in the act by the PM for a military crime and violence against a qualified superior for using a gun, which is an non-bailable military offense. He was taken to the Romão Gomes Military Prison, in the North Zone of the capital.

By note, the PM’s command classified the two officers’ behavior as “very serious and repulsive” and said that the threat with a gun in hand “violates the institution’s fundamental values, particularly discipline, hierarchy, professionalism, honor and human dignity, thus demanding harsh penalties, to the extent of their gravity.”

“Because it is a military offense, all the circumstances in which the facts occurred are being ascertained by the relevant authority, in the state military judicial police. The perpetrator of the threat was arrested in the act for the crime of threat (article 223 of the Military Criminal Code) and violence against a qualified superior for using a weapon (article 157 of the Military Criminal Code) and will be taken to the Romão Gomes Military Prison”.

In the videos shared on social media and mobile messaging apps, the officers are wearing masks and arguing. Then, one of them points his gun towards the face of his corporation colleague, who pushes his arm away.

The footage shows one of the officers with the gun in his hand at all times, but he doesn’t shoot. People who watch and record the scene start shouting: “PM war”. Other police officers in the team, watch the argument and do not intervene.

Later, the police officer who pointed the gun is seen walking away. He was apparently arrested at that moment by the other police officers. There is no official information on the reason for the argument.