{"id":81159,"date":"2025-07-25T11:03:48","date_gmt":"2025-07-25T14:03:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/?p=81159"},"modified":"2025-07-31T16:27:57","modified_gmt":"2025-07-31T19:27:57","slug":"gun-violence-against-children-rios-city-and-state-governments-fail-to-address-ongoing-childhood-tragedy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/?p=81159","title":{"rendered":"Gun Violence Against Children: Rio\u2019s City and State Governments Fail to Address Ongoing Childhood Tragedy"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Several<\/a>
Several families rearranged their daily routines to be present for the City Hall meeting. Photo: Rafael Henrique Brito\/NGO RIO DE PAZ<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Clique aqui para Portugu\u00eas<\/em><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

Since 2016, 710 children and adolescents have been shot<\/a> in Greater Rio<\/a>\u2014an average of nearly two young victims per week. According to a February 2025 report<\/a> by the Fogo Cruzado Institute<\/a>, which collects data on armed violence, this figure reflects the increase in police operations involving children and adolescents as victims. State security agents were involved in 36% of shootings, up from 28% in 2017. It is no coincidence that a record number of children were hit by stray bullets<\/a> last year: 26 cases.<\/p>\n

Of the 268 children who died violently<\/a> since 2016, 59% were killed by stray bullets, 26% during police operations, and 10% in clashes between criminal gangs. Despite the gravity of these incidents, 60% of the cases remain without a concluded investigation<\/a>, according to another report<\/a> by the Rio de Janeiro Public Defender\u2019s Office.<\/p>\n

The stories behind these statistics reveal the urgent need for policies that protect the lives of children like Kamila Vit\u00f3ria<\/a>, a 12-year-old killed in 2024 while playing in Del Castilho, in Rio\u2019s North Zone<\/a>, and Diego<\/a>, a four-year-old shot that same year alongside his parents in Paty do Alferes, in the state\u2019s interior. The city government\u2019s removal of the memorial<\/a> at Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon\u2014built in honor of children killed by armed violence\u2014symbolizes the tension between erasing pain and confronting it.<\/p>\n

\"Mayor<\/a>
Mayor Eduardo Paes ordered the removal of photos of children killed by stray bullets. Photo: Rafael Henrique Brito\/NGO RIO DE PAZ<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Fogo Cruzado Institute\u2019s 2024 Annual Report<\/a> reveals the paradox of armed violence in Rio de Janeiro. While the total number of shootings fell to 2,535<\/a>\u2014the lowest in eight years\u2014public security actions have become increasingly linked to armed confrontations in the city. In 2024, 36% of all shootings<\/a> occurred during police operations, compared to 28% in 2017.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/a>
A seven-year-old child narrowly avoided being hit by a stray bullet during the January 8 police operation in the North Zone\u2019s Mandela favela. Photo: Rafael Henrique Brito\/NGO RIO DE PAZ<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In 2024, 26 cases<\/a> of children shot by firearms were recorded in the Metropolitan Region\u201416 of them hit by stray bullets. Greater Rio’s Baixada Fluminense<\/a> region had the highest number of such cases (13), followed by the city’s West Zone<\/a> (6) and North Zone (5). That same year, of the total number of people hit by stray bullets in the city of Rio, the North Zone accounted for 48%<\/a> (51 cases), surpassing the Baixada Fluminense (24) and the West Zone (20). The main causes of shootings included clashes between gangs and militias<\/a> (11 cases), targeted attacks on civilians (7), homicides (5), and police operations (4).<\/p>\n

Despite 2024 recording the lowest incidence of shootings in the last eight years, the Greater Rio Metropolitan Region saw 32 people shot<\/a> in just the first two months of 2025. This was the highest number for that period since 2021\u201472% of the cases occurred during police operations<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Furthermore, in early 2025, incidents involving stray bullets increased by 58%<\/a> compared to the same period in 2024<\/a>. Among the victims were a 17-year-old shot inside his home<\/a> in the North Zone\u2019s Complexo do Chapad\u00e3o<\/a>; ten-year-old Jos\u00e9 Murilo<\/a>, hit in Complexo do Salgueiro<\/a>, in S\u00e3o Gon\u00e7alo<\/a>; and eleven-year-old Pedro Henrique<\/a>, shot in the West Zone neighborhood of Realengo<\/a>. This ongoing social tragedy reveals the persistent risk of violent death for children and youth in Rio\u2019s favelas and peripheral areas. According to Ant\u00f4nio Carlos Costa, founder of the NGO Rio de Paz (Peaceful Rio), the solution is far from simple.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo single measure will solve the problem of violence in the state of Rio. We need a package. And this package involves tackling social inequality, implementing public policies in the favelas, reforming and valuing the police, rethinking the war on drugs. In other words, we need that [kind of] State that enters the favelas truly committed\u2014bringing leisure spaces, quality public education, healthcare, employment opportunities, which today do not exist. We\u2019ve been doing the same things for decades and expecting different results.\u201d \u2014 Ant\u00f4nio Carlos Costa<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

For 18 years, Rio de Paz<\/a> has worked to defend human rights: denouncing violations, promoting justice, and strengthening solidarity. Its trajectory has been marked by actions in defense of democracy, remembrance of victims of State violence, support for vulnerable communities, and advocacy for victims<\/a> of police violence.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur movement began in 2007 when we saw homicide rates were extremely high and felt we had to do something, because it was outrageous. Reducing homicides is one of the pillars of our organization. Since then, we\u2019ve been demanding that the state and federal governments create a public security plan for Rio, with clear protocols for police operations in favelas, concrete goals, and timelines to reduce homicides and combat the trafficking of guns and ammunition in Rio de Janeiro\u2014since the state doesn\u2019t manufacture them, but knows there\u2019s an arsenal in the hands of criminals.\u201d \u2014 Ant\u00f4nio Carlos Costa<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\u2018Police Operations Need to Account for School Hours and Spare Areas Around Educational Spaces\u2019<\/h3>\n

In 2020, the Brazilian Supreme Court (STF<\/a>) began hearing ADPF 635 (Claim of Non-Compliance with a Fundamental Precept No. 635), better known as the ADPF of the Favelas<\/a>. The case seeks to rein in the rise in police violence<\/a>, which skyrocketed during the pandemic<\/a>, aiming to guarantee the lives<\/a> of favela residents who were required to stay home during coronavirus<\/a> lockdowns but were, by staying home, placed directly in the line of fire<\/a> during violent police operations.<\/p>\n

The Court\u2019s ruling required that police operations in favelas be duly justified, planned and monitored by the Public Prosecutor\u2019s Office<\/a>. In the first few months, the results were positive\u2014there was a 23% reduction in shootings and a 26% reduction in the number of gunshot victims<\/a>. Additionally, the number of people shot decreased by 45%<\/a> and the number of police violence victims decreased by 57%<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/a>
A meeting on January 9, 2025, with the City\u2019s Secretary of Environment and Climate, Tain\u00e1 de Paula, discussed creating an official memorial for victims, allowing for the temporary relocation of their photos. Photo: Rafael Henrique Brito \/ NGO Rio de Paz<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Data from the Fogo Cruzado Institute<\/a> proves the effectiveness of the ruling. Before the ADPF ruling was implemented, 2,881 people were shot in the Greater Rio Metropolitan Region in 2023. After the ruling\u2019s implementation, in 2024, this figure fell by 45%, down to 1,566 cases. In addition, the number of victims struck by stray bullets during police operations fell by half, from 62 to 31 persons, and the number of State security apparatus agents shot while on duty fell by 60%, from 40 to 16 officers.<\/p>\n

However, in 2025, the Brazilian Supreme Court relaxed some aspects<\/a> of the ADPF ruling, reigniting fears of setbacks. This relaxation extended the deadline for installing cameras in police vehicles to 180 days and lifted restrictions on the use of helicopters and police operations near schools and hospitals\u2014except in circumstances deemed disproportionate.<\/p>\n

According to Carlos Nhanga, an analyst at the Fogo Cruzado Institute, while Rio Governor Cl\u00e1udio Castro celebrated the changes<\/a>, human rights organizations warned of the risk of increased police abuse and especially criticized the lack of clear criteria for removing officers involved in extrajudicial killings.<\/p>\n

\u201cMany child victims are hit during poorly planned police operations, often carried out at particularly sensitive times and locations\u2014like near schools, during drop-off or pick-up times. Police planning needs to account for school hours and spare areas around educational spaces. The police also need proper resources to improve investigation rates. Most cases involving children being shot end in complete impunity.\u201d \u2014 Carlos Nhanga<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Moreover, decisions at both the state and city level are moving in the opposite direction of addressing armed violence against children. While the state government presented Decree No. 48,138<\/a>, its public security plan, with no specific measures to protect children and adolescents, the Rio de Janeiro City Council<\/a> approved<\/a>, in a first-round vote (43 to 7), Bill 23-A\/2018<\/a>, which authorizes the arming of the Municipal Guard<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The Federal Prosecutor\u2019s Office and the Rio de Janeiro Public Defender\u2019s Office were critical of the bill, warning of the risks<\/a> of increased violence and a repetition of well-known failures.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs long as lethality is seen as a measure of police efficiency, investigations will continue to take a backseat. A security policy that prioritizes investigation and intelligence must be implemented, including investment in technical training for investigative teams, strengthening internal affairs departments, and increasing transparency in investigative procedures. Without qualified and systematized information, planning effective actions will remain compromised.\u201d \u2014 Carlos Nhanga<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

For this article, RioOnWatch<\/em> contacted the Governor\u2019s Office and the Secretariat of Public Security to inquire about the existence of other public policies aimed at protecting children, since Decree No. 48,138 includes no specific provisions for this purpose. As of publication, no response has been received.<\/p>\n

Organizing Efforts Achieved Symbolic Victory, Yet Construction Lags on Official Memorial for Victims<\/h3>\n

On December 28, 2024<\/a>, Rio de Paz held a protest at the Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon against the killing of children by stray bullets, replacing the plaques of a local memorial with 49 photos of victims. The action sought to pressure public officials and raise societal awareness.<\/p>\n

The following day, however, Rio Mayor Eduardo Paes ordered<\/a> the removal of the photos, claiming that Rio de Paz had not obtained official authorization\u2014despite tributes to fallen police officers remaining in the same location. Paes had previously criticized<\/a> the memorial to the children in the 2022 documentary The Aesthetic of the Struggle<\/em><\/a>, despite claiming to recognize its relevance.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>
The murder of children is the most heinous face of what is, in truth, a \u2018War on the Poor,\u2019 framed by the State as the \u2018War on Drugs.\u2019 Photo: Rafael Henrique Brito\/NGO RIO DE PAZ<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The mayor\u2019s decision outraged victims\u2019 family members and activists, as the memorial had existed since 2015 without issue from City Hall. In response, Rio de Paz organized a new event on January 4<\/a>, 2025, bringing together family members and volunteers who displayed photos of the children at the former memorial site.<\/p>\n

Following mobilization efforts, a January 9<\/a> meeting with the City\u2019s Secretary of Environment and Climate, Tain\u00e1 de Paula<\/a>, discussed the creation of an official memorial, allowing for the temporary display of the images.<\/p>\n

The pressure led to a new meeting on January 13<\/a>, which officially authorized the reinstallation of the photos and promised the future construction of a permanent memorial. The mayor apologized<\/a> for the suffering caused and acknowledged the importance of the tribute to the victims\u2019 families. The images were returned to the site on January 15, marking a symbolic victory in the fight for memory and justice.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe had a meeting with the mayor on February 13. He acknowledged his mistake, apologized, and promised to create a memorial. On February 15\u2014two days later\u2014we returned with the children\u2019s families to the mural, where we reinstalled the photos. It was agreed at the meeting that professionals from the City\u2019s heritage department would present project proposals for us and the mothers to review. Everything would be done jointly. However, we have yet to receive any updates. We keep following up, but the information we\u2019ve been given is that the projects are still being developed. The location is also yet to be determined. Our condition is that the photos will only be removed once the memorial is built\u2014something the mayor agreed to. It\u2019s important to note that the entire process with City Hall has been coordinated by Councilwoman Tain\u00e1 de Paula, with whom we remain in constant contact.\u201d \u2014 Ant\u00f4nio Carlos Costa<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

RioOnWatch<\/em> reached out to the Mayor\u2019s Office and the Secretariat of Public Security to request information about the construction of the memorial\u2014including its location, timeline, and design\u2014as well as the municipal public security plan and the positions of both the mayor and the secretary on arming the Municipal Guard. However, no response has been received to date.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere is no way to predict the future, but the trend is that, with an additional armed force, we will have more shootings. The city government plays an essential role in urban planning, which is part of a broader public security plan. It also has the potential to generate data about the city that, if public security were jointly planned by all government entities with civil society participation, could be of great value. Unfortunately, this is not our reality today.\u201d \u2014 Carlos Nhanga<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

About the author:<\/em>\u00a0Felipe Migliani<\/i><\/a>\u00a0has a degree in journalism from Unicarioca with a focus on investigative journalism. Working as an independent freelance reporter at Meia Hora and Estad\u00e3o newspapers, he also collaborates with the\u00a0<\/i>Coletivo Engenhos de Hist\u00f3rias<\/i><\/a>, which investigates and recovers history and memories from the Grande M\u00e9ier region, and with\u00a0<\/i>PerifaConnection<\/i><\/a>.
\n<\/i><\/p>\n

\n

Support\u00a0RioOnWatch\u2019s tireless, critical and cutting-edge hyperlocal journalism, online community organizing meetings, and direct support to favelas\u00a0by clicking here<\/a>.<\/h4>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Clique aqui para Portugu\u00eas Since 2016, 710 children and adolescents have been shot in Greater Rio\u2014an average of nearly two young victims per week. According to a February 2025 report by the Fogo Cruzado Institute, […]<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"author":245,"featured_media":81160,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"template-full.php","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1277,1288,1328,1290,335,1282,336],"tags":[3464,3312,2662,3068,3122,1197,25,1675,1187,2999,37,2910,2481,69,809,826,120,268,1017,1385,259],"writer":[3512],"translator":[3485],"illustrator":[],"photographer":[3797],"class_list":{"0":"post-81159","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-uppwatch","8":"category-highlight","9":"category-by-community-contributors","10":"category-civilsociety","11":"category-policies","12":"category-research-analysis","13":"category-violations","14":"tag-adpf-of-the-favelas","15":"tag-assassination","16":"tag-complexo-do-salgueiro","17":"tag-coronavirus","18":"tag-data","19":"tag-greater-rio","20":"tag-human-rights","21":"tag-lagoa","22":"tag-morro-do-chapadao","23":"tag-necropolitics","24":"tag-north-zone","25":"tag-police-massacre","26":"tag-police-violence","27":"tag-public-defenders","28":"tag-public-security","29":"tag-realengo","30":"tag-sao-goncalo","31":"tag-state-violence","32":"tag-childrens-rights","33":"tag-violence","34":"tag-youth","35":"writer-felipe-migliani","36":"translator-ujwala-murthy","37":"photographer-rafael-henrique-brito"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/81159","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/245"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=81159"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/81159\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":81174,"href":"https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/81159\/revisions\/81174"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/81160"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=81159"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=81159"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=81159"},{"taxonomy":"writer","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fwriter&post=81159"},{"taxonomy":"translator","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftranslator&post=81159"},{"taxonomy":"illustrator","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fillustrator&post=81159"},{"taxonomy":"photographer","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fphotographer&post=81159"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}