‘They came to kill.’ Almost 5 die daily at hands of Rio police
Local lawmakers and community activists say officers are routinely carrying out extrajudicial killings
Sunday, May 26, 2019
Shooting from helicopters, armored personnel carriers or at close range, police officers in Rio de Janeiro have gunned down 558 people during the first four months of the year — the highest number in this period since the state began keeping records more than two decades ago. This recent spike comes after years in which the federal and local authorities put in place policies that significantly diminished police killings. But as the country dove into a deep economic and political crisis in 2014, resources for security programs dried up. Criminal gangs reclaimed lost territory in Rio, and across Brazil violence exploded: More than 51,500 people were killed last year. (See also: Jair Bolsonaro will not defeat crime in Brazil by tolerating militias)
