In a municipal school in Rio de Janeiro 12 people were killed and 30 were injured by an attacker believed to be a former student.
The attacker broke in and opened fire in the municpal school of Tasso da Silveira, located in the neighbourhood of Realengo, western of Rio de Janeiro.
He entered and opened fire indiscriminately at students and teachers, before turning the gun on himself and committing suicide.
The wounded were treated at the Albert Schweitzer state hospital, in Realengo, while dozens of parents and relatives crowded into the school for information about their children.
Colonel Evandro Bezerra, communication manager of the Rio de Janeiro fire department, said in statements to the television channel ‘Globonews’, that several of the wounded are in serious condition, “some with bullet wounds in the head”.
According to initial accounts, the assailant was well-known at the school and came at 8.30am into the building under the pretence that he wanted to speak about one of the courses. Instead he went on a shooting rampage.
Daily ‘Globo’ reported him to be identified as 23-year-old Wellington Menezes de Oliveira.
Police affirmed that the attacker used two handguns, which were reloaded several times. When the police patrol arrived in the area where the school was located, the man had already committed suicide.
“He already had determined to commit suicide after the tragedy,” stated Djalma Beltrami of the military police, who also confirmed the existence of the letter written by the murderer.
