Rio police raid kills at least 18, sparking anger
RIO DE JANEIRO >> A police operation Thursday targeting gang members in Rio de Janeiro's largest complex of favelas, or low-income communities, left at least 18 people dead in one of the deadliest raids the city has seen recently and one already bringing more criticism of police violence.
Rio authorities said 16 suspected criminals were killed in confrontations with police in Complexo do Alemao along with a police officer and an woman. A police spokesman said the raid targeted a criminal group that stole cars and robbed banks, and invaded nearby neighborhoods.
Videos circulating on social media showed intense shootouts between criminals as well as a police helicopter flying low over the small, brick houses. Rio's police have used helicopters to shoot at targets, even in densely populated residential areas, and video showed shots being fired from the favela at the aircraft.
At the site of the raid, Associated Press reporters saw residents carrying about 10 bodies as bystanders shouted, “We want peace!” Residents said those who attempted to help the injured risked arrest.
“It's a massacre inside, which police are calling an operation,” one woman told AP, speaking on the condition of anonymity because she feared reprisals from authorities. “They're not letting us help (victims),” she added, saying she saw one man arrested for attempting to do so.
A Rio's police force spokesman said some of the criminals wore uniforms to disguise themselves as police officers.
“I would rather they (the suspects) had not reacted and then we could have arrested 15, 14 of them. But unfortunately they chose to fire at our policemen,” said Ronaldo Oliveira, an investigator of Rio's police.
Rio state Gov. Cláudio Castro said on Twitter he lamented the police officer's death.
“I will continue to fight crime with all my strength. We will not back down from the mission of guaranteeing peace and security to the people of our state,” Castro said.
But many disagree with the government's strategy for tackling violence and organized crime, an approach that regularly sees deadly police operations. A raid in Rio's Vila Cruzeiro favela in May killed more than 20 people.
Thursday's operation was aimed at locating and arresting criminal leaders, some from other states, police said in an early statement.
“ENOUGH of this genocidal policy, governor!” Talíria Petrone, a federal lawmaker for Rio, said in response to the governor's tweet. “This failed public security policy leaves residents and police on the ground, en masse.”