Vila Cruzeiro shootout

The death toll reached 26. However, later the Medico-Legal Institute reported that three of the dead actually came from another confrontation, on Juramento Hill. The number of dead is therefore 23. Civil police officer Sérgio Silva do Rosário was the only injured officer, as he was hit by shrapnel while carrying out an inspection. Five other people were injured and taken to hospitals in the city. Among them are Edson Ferreira da Costa and Ryan de Almeida, who were admitted respectively to the Emergency Care Unit of the Complexo de Gericinó and the Hospital Municipal Salgado Filho. Still, a social activist recorded part of the action, and BOPE fired once in his direction. He identified himself to Uol, which opted to hide his identity to protect him from reprisals. A woman was killed by a stray bullet in the community of Chatuba, neighbouring Vila Cruzeiro. Gabrielle Ferreira da Cunha was 41 years old and was shot in her home. Apart from her, at least 25 people are dead, all being considered by the police as suspects. Another victim, Natan Werneck, even called for help by telephone and was rescued only 6 hours after the event, but died in hospital. Call for a cease-fire During the action, 22 entities signed a letter addressed to the government of Rio de Janeiro, the state Public Ministry, the Military Police Secretariat, the Federal Police and the Federal Highway Police Superintendence asking for an immediate ceasefire for the removal of the bodies. According to the letter, the security forces were preventing the removal of the bodies and threatening human rights activists. ==Reactions==

Pre-candidates for the Rio de Janeiro state government Governor Cláudio Castro (PL) supported the "operation" in the community. However, he was accused of wanting the extermination of the favela and of making political use of the event, aiming at re-election. Rodrigo Neves (PDT) said that "spectacular actions and without strategy, like this one today, have produced killing and put at risk the poor population of the favelas and the police officers themselves". Brazilian government President Jair Bolsonaro praised Bope for the operation, saying that the criminal faction started the shooting and that it was responsible for the deaths of 13 public security agents in 2022. He also lamented for Gabrielle's death. Supreme Federal Court The president of the STF Luiz Fux said that the Military Police owes satisfaction for the operation. STF Minister Edson Fachin said in a statement that he was very concerned about the operation. He also said he is confident that the STF decision will be upheld and that a full investigation will be carried out. Security forces The Fluminense Military Police argues that the migration of traffickers to Rio de Janeiro was due to the restrictions made by the STF, approved by Edson Fachin on the occasion of the COVID-19 pandemic. Others Congressman Eduardo Bolsonaro praised the action, saying that if the police do not act in the area, trafficking can profit and arm itself freely. Fabrício Queiroz, Flávio Bolsonaro's former adviser and PTB affiliate, said the slaughter will result in fewer votes for the left. ==Investigation==

On the same day of the massacre, the Public Ministry of Rio de Janeiro opened proceedings to investigate the police action, giving ten days for all involved to be heard and for BOPE to indicate those responsible for the deaths. The Federal Public Prosecutor's Office has also opened an investigation to look into the actions of individual police officers. The PSB and human rights organizations filed a request with the Supreme Court for the Rio de Janeiro government to draw up another plan to reduce police lethality in operations. The request was forwarded to Minister Edson Fachin. In February, the STF had already forced Governor Cláudio Castro to explain what he would do about the situation of violence in Rio, but received a response with generic intentions. ==References==