Local police have reported the killing of two individuals suspected of involvement in the brutal murder of nine people in the town of Mata de Sao Joao in the northeastern Brazilian state of Bahia. Additionally, another suspect has been apprehended, according to an announcement from the state’s security office on Tuesday.
The disturbing discovery of nine charred bodies inside two residences in Mata de Sao Joao took place on Monday. Among the victims were three children, and law enforcement is currently conducting an investigation to determine the motive behind this gruesome massacre.
This tragic incident is the latest in a series of violent episodes related to drug gang activities that have plagued Bahia in recent years. Alarmingly, four out of Brazil’s five most violent cities are now situated within this state, as reported by the Brazilian Public Security Yearbook. Many of these locations are in close proximity to the state capital, Salvador.
Security forces managed to locate the alleged perpetrators in a wooded area of the city, where they were believed to be hiding. A confrontation ensued when the police confronted them, resulting in the elimination of two suspects.
Efforts are currently underway to apprehend a fourth suspect who remains at large, as indicated in the official statement. During the operation, authorities seized two pistols, ammunition, radio communicators, and drugs from the suspects.