Armed shootout in Rio's Brás de Pina leaves suspect wounded

An intense gunfight erupted in the Cinco Bocas community of Brás de Pina, Zona Norte of Rio de Janeiro, on the night of 6 July 2026 and continued until early morning on 7 July. Residents reported continuous fire from 18:00 to around 02:00, and videos shared on social media captured the exchange of gunfire. Police from the 16th BPM (Olaria) encountered armed individuals travelling by car, leading to a confrontation in which a suspect was found injured, in possession of a rifle, and was taken to Hospital Estadual Getúlio Vargas.

Following the shootout, assailants launched explosive devices from drones at police units of the 16th and 17th BPM, damaging a police vehicle; no officers were hurt. Police heightened their presence in the area. The incident occurred in the Complexo de Israel, a territory controlled by the Tropa do Arão gang led by Álvaro Malaquias Santa Rosa, known as “Peixão”. The gang’s expansionist violence has been a focus of police operations for over a decade.