Rio de Janeiro, Oct 23 (EFE) The Rio de Janeiro state police said it was investigating two of its officers for failing to assist a shooting victim who later died.
The mugging and murder of a community activist early Sunday was recorded by security cameras installed at several businesses in downtown Rio, and the devices also filmed two officers arriving on the scene 30 seconds after the murder and not doing anything to help the victim.
Evandro Joao Silva, social projects coordinator of the non-governmental Afroreggae organisation that helps children in Rio de Janeiro’s “favelas”, or shantytowns, was shot as he was getting into his car after meeting some friends at a Rio nightclub.
Two armed men cut off the 42-year-old Silva’s car with their vehicle, stole his wallet, cell phone and shoes, and then fled, eyewitnesses said.
The two officers passed in front of the victim and did not assist him, choosing instead to pursue the assailants.
The images, which were broadcast by Globo television, show the two officers a few minutes later, holding the items stolen from Silva and which they apparently took from the muggers.
The officers then placed the items in their patrol car.
One of the suspected muggers then walks by the crime scene after being released by the officers.
The officers were ordered to give sworn statements and confined pending an investigation in the wake of the release of the videos.
A state police spokesman, Maj. Oderlei Santos, told Globo Thursday the force was “outraged” over the incident.
He said a review committee would be formed in the next few days to examine what happened and pass judgement on the behaviour of the officers, who are being held for 72 hours.
Afroreggae, which was made famous by a highly successful like-named musical group created by the NGO, provides music lessons to children and teenagers in several favelas.
The organisation also has a production company to promote the groups it creates and a workshop that makes musical instruments from recycled materials.
Afroreggae was founded 16 years ago in Vigario Geral, a favela that was the scene of what was then considered the worst massacre in Brazil’s history.
Police officers seeking revenge for the killings of four comrades by drug traffickers murdered 21 people in Vigario Geral.
A third of Rio de Janeiro’s six million people live in dwellings in the shantytowns, where drug traffickers often wield power through violence, replacing the government.
In some 200 shantytowns, according to official estimates, drug traffickers have been pushed out by death squads made up of active and retired police officers, who take justice into their own hands, creating a new challenge for the government.
