Rio de Janeiro police arrest militia suspect Léo Piloto

The Rio de Janeiro Civil Police arrested Leonardo Torres Gomes, known as ‘Léo Piloto’, suspected of being a key operative for a militia operating in the city's West Zone. Investigators allege that during an armed invasion of the Cantagalo community in Campo Grande on July 4, the group used uniforms and identification from the Special Department for the Repression of Organized Crime (DRACO-IE) to impersonate police officers.

Gomes is identified as a ‘puxador de guerra’—a term used for criminals who directly participate in armed confrontations to seize or maintain territory. The militia group is reportedly led by a criminal known as ‘Jorjão’ or ‘PL’. During the arrest, authorities seized a restricted-use pistol and a luxury vehicle that had been stolen and had its identification markings tampered with.

Police are continuing investigations to identify other participants in the July 4 attack and to clarify the group's involvement in territorial disputes against members of the Comando Vermelho criminal faction.