Youth Shot by Stray Bullet at Home in Rio de Janeiro, Dies in Sister’s Arms

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – A 23-year-old was killed inside his home in Catumbi, in the central region of Rio, on Monday morning. Caio Gomes Soares was shot by a stray bullet after getting out of bed to get a juice, at around 7 AM. The young man died instantly in his 24-year-old sister’s arms.

“He died with a glass of juice in his hand,” said Maria José Gomes de Andrade, Caio’s mother.

According to the street’s residents, which is located opposite Morro da Coroa, the shooting broke out after State Police (PM) arrived in the community early Monday morning and clashed with drug dealers.

Caio’s mother is a housemaid and was at work when her daughter called to warn about the shooting in Morro da Coroa. “My family is destroyed,” lamented Maria José.

With a degree in Physical Education from Rio de Janeiro State University (UERJ), Caio gave classes to the elderly and also held events. He lived with his mother and sister in a building near the Santa Bárbara Tunnel, which connects the neighborhoods of Laranjeiras and Catumbi.

The woman, who raised her children alone, reported that she has lived there for years. Her daughter has a degree in Speech Therapy.

“A good boy and all of a sudden this. You know? It’s very sad because you come from another state, you work in a family home. You provide your two children with an education, you raise your children. This is very difficult, so suddenly,” said the woman from Paraíba, who has lived in Rio since she was 15 years old.

According to the Capital’s Homicide Police Precinct (DHC), an investigation was conducted on the site and the body was taken to the Forensic Institute (IML). Investigations are in progress.

In a note, the PM reported that State Police officers of the 4th Batallion (São Cristóvão) and 5th Batallion (Praça da Harmonia) were in the community to inspect a complaint that a PM officer had been approached by criminals and taken to the interior of Morro da Coroa and were met with gunfire.

“As soon as the teams arrived at the access roads to the community, criminals opened fire from the top of the Morro da Coroa in the direction of the police officers, starting a clash. After the confrontation, the teams could not confirm the information that a police officer had been taken by criminals,” says the note. The teams did not confirm the kidnapping.

Source: G1