11 killed in Brazilian 'massacre'
May 20, 2019
At least 11 people were killed in a "massacre" in Brazil's northern state of Para on Sunday, according to authorities.
Police told local media that seven gunmen arrived at a bar in three cars and on one motorcycle and opened fire. The perpetrators fled the scene. The incident took place in the region's largest city, Belem.
Natalia Mello, a Para state spokeswoman, would only confirm that a massacre had happened.
The deaths included six women and five men. One person was severely wounded.
National Guard troops were sent to Belem in March as a way of reinforcing security. Brazil's number of homicides in 2017 reached record levels, with 64,000 instances across the year.
President Jair Bolsonaro recently signed a decree that relaxes laws on gun imports and allows people to carry more ammunition.
jsi/aw (AP, AFP)
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