Armed Gunmen Take 35 Hotel Hostages—Rio, Brazil
- 14 years ago
Gunmen in Rio de Janeiro start a gun fight in one of the city's richest neighborhoods when they meet police patrols.
Footage captured on a cell phone shows suspects in bullet-proof vests hiding behind a garbage truck.
A woman bystander was killed and two police officers were hurt in the exchange of gunfire.
After the shootout in Rio's Sao Conrado neighborhood, they ran into the Intercontinental Hotel.
Police swept the entire hotel and arrested ten gunmen, heavily armed with automatic weapons and grenades.
A spokesman for Rio's military police says 35 hostages were freed unharmed.
[Colonel Henrique Saraiva, Military Police Spokesman]:
"We have arrested ten drug traffickers, seized eight machine guns, five pistols with a lot of ammunition, a grenade. There were 35 hostages and we are checking to see if any drug traffickers have infiltrated them. It is very unlikely, but it could have happened. The hostages include 5 guests and 30 hotel workers."
Violent crime is a major problem in Rio, where heavily armed drug gangs control its many slums.
Rio is Brazil's biggest tourist destination and will host the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympic games.
Footage captured on a cell phone shows suspects in bullet-proof vests hiding behind a garbage truck.
A woman bystander was killed and two police officers were hurt in the exchange of gunfire.
After the shootout in Rio's Sao Conrado neighborhood, they ran into the Intercontinental Hotel.
Police swept the entire hotel and arrested ten gunmen, heavily armed with automatic weapons and grenades.
A spokesman for Rio's military police says 35 hostages were freed unharmed.
[Colonel Henrique Saraiva, Military Police Spokesman]:
"We have arrested ten drug traffickers, seized eight machine guns, five pistols with a lot of ammunition, a grenade. There were 35 hostages and we are checking to see if any drug traffickers have infiltrated them. It is very unlikely, but it could have happened. The hostages include 5 guests and 30 hotel workers."
Violent crime is a major problem in Rio, where heavily armed drug gangs control its many slums.
Rio is Brazil's biggest tourist destination and will host the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympic games.