Rio de Janeiro Security Incidents – April 3rd Bulletin

16/04/2022 – An 8-year-old girl was hit in the eye by a stray bullet in Villa Kennedy, in Rio de Janeiro’s West Zone. According to residents, the shot was fired from the neighboring favela, Vila Aliança, which is controlled by a rival drug trafficking group. The police informed that no confrontations were reported on the day.

17/04/2022 – Criminals robbed a car in Lagoa, in Rio de Janeiro’s South Zone, but were intercepted by the police in Tunnel Rebouças. They escaped into Rio Comprido, in the North Zone, and a shootout happened. One police officer was shot. The criminals escaped.

18/04/2022 – The Internal Revenue Service seized 1,35 kg of cocaine inside the luggage of a passenger in Galeão International Airport. The criminal would travel to São Paulo, and then to Nigeria.

18/04/2022 – The police arrested, in Copacabana, in Rio de Janeiro’s South Zone, a criminal that killed and then burned his wife in Maricá in November 2021.

19/04/2022 – The Civil Police and the National Cinema Agency (Ancine) conducted an operation against illegal streaming websites in 13 addresses in the cities of Rio de Janeiro, Duque de Caxias, Magé, Cabo Frio and Casimiro de Abreu. The websites have an accumulated 46 million accesses and may have cause R$ 100 million in losses.

19/04/2022 – The police closed an illegal car dismantling warehouse on Avenida Brasil, in Vila Kennedy, in Rio de Janeiro’s West Zone. A shootout took place during the operation. 3 criminals were arrested.

19/04/2022 – 3 criminals on 2 motorcycles tried to rob a Navy officer on Paulo de Frontin highway, in Rio Comprido, near Rebouças Tunnel, in Rio de Janeiro’s North Zone, at night, but the officer reacted, and a shootout happened. The criminals shot and killed the victim.

Our analysis:

At least two incidents took place quite near Rebouças tunnel in a matter of a few days. It is important to keep in mind that shootouts inside tunnels are more dangerous than ordinary shootouts for one obvious reason which is the physical enclosure. In addition to having no practical escape routes that allow people to gain distance from the conflict, the situation is far more chaotic due to the panic of people in an enclosed environment with many vehicles. Besides the excessive noise that makes the situation psychologically more challenging, in case of vehicle fires, the smoke is retained and can cause intoxication. If there are signs that serious problems are taking place inside a tunnel, it should be avoided at all costs. If caught in the middle of a shootout inside a tunnel, it is important to remain calm and follow the same recommendations as for ordinary shootings. Those trapped inside must not to run as the risk of being shot by mistake or being hit by a stray bullet is high. In case of fire, it is recommended to wait for the shootout to calm down and then quickly head out of the tunnel, with or without the vehicle, whichever is quicker.

19/04/2022 – Two illegal gambling establishments were closed on Pompeu Loureiro St., in Copacabana, in Rio de Janeiro’s South Zone, at night.

19/04/2022 – The police arrested a couple of criminals that committed the “virtual kidnapping” scam against a woman and her daughter. First, they made the scam against the daughter, and she paid R$ 5.000 to the criminals, who also stole her cell phone. Then they tried to make the same crime with the mother, using the daughter’s phone. The mother, however, went directly to agents of Copacabana present, who captured the criminals in Baixada Fluminense.

19/04/2022 – Two militiamen were arrested in Tijuquinha, in Rio de Janeiro’s West Zone.
20/04/2022 – The Military Police conducted an operation in Morro da Coroa, between Catumbi and Santa Teresa, in Rio de Janeiro’s Central Zone.

20/04/2022 – An intense shootout took place in Morro do Gambá, in Lins de Vasconcelos, in Rio de Janeiro’s North Zone, during a robbery attempt against a truck. The vehicle was retrieved, but the criminals escaped.

22/04/2022 – A criminal that committed a robbery on Presidente Vargas Ave., downtown, threw himself into a channel to avoid being captured, but he was arrested.

22/04/2022 – A mass robbery attempt took place in Cinelândia, downtown, at night. One underaged criminal was arrested.

24/04/2022 – Four criminals were arrested after committing robberies near Rua do Passeio, downtown, at dawn.