Rio breaks record for children killed in shootings, survey shows

The metropolitan region of Rio de Janeiro broke a record for the number of children shot during shootings last year, according to data released this Monday (29) by the Fogo Cruzado Institute. In 2023, 25 children were shot in the region, and 10 of them died. The number is the highest ever recorded in the historical series, which began to be recorded in 2016.

Still in the early hours of 2023, Juan Davi de Souza Faria, aged 11, was killed by a stray bullet during the New Year's Eve celebration in Mesquita, in Baixada Fluminense. The boy was on the porch of his house when he was hit.

He is one of 25 children shot in Rio, a number that equals the figure from 2018. Last year, however, was more lethal, as among those shot, ten died.

Children shot in the Metropolitan Region of Rio, according to a survey by the Fogo Cruzado Institute:

• 2023: 25 victims – 10 dead and 15 injured
• 2022: 8 victims – 2 dead and 6 injured
• 2021: 17 victims – 4 dead and 13 injured
• 2020: 22 victims – 8 dead and 14 injured
• 2019: 23 victims – 6 dead and 17 injured
• 2018: 25 victims – 4 dead and 21 injured
• 2017: 19 victims – 7 dead and 12 injured

Also according to the report, 2023 was the year with the most victims of stray bullets in the last four years. 131 people were affected, 42 of whom died and 89 were injured. Among these victims, 70 were hit during police actions and operations, which represents 53% of those affected. Among the victims hit during operations, 23 died and 47 were injured.

In a note to CNN , the State Secretariat of Military Police said that, to date, it has not received information about the study reported by the report. “It is worth noting that the Corporation always considers official data released by the Public Security Institute”, says the note.

The State Secretariat of Civil Police (Sepol) stated that “it is unaware of the methodology used to prepare the aforementioned survey and informs that the institution's actions are guided based on official data from the Institute of Public Security (ISP)”.

Also according to the ministry, the strategic indicator of Violent Lethality (which includes the crimes of intentional homicide, bodily injury followed by death, death by intervention of a State agent and robbery followed by death) decreased by 5% from January to November 2023 in the state, compared to the same period in the previous year.

“As for the actions of the Civil Police, they are all carried out by trained agents, after meticulous planning, always prioritizing the preservation of lives, both of police officers and citizens. Sepol adds that action in communities is part of the actions to combat crime and is fundamental work, since criminal organizations use the resources arising from criminal practices to finance their territorial domains, with the restriction of freedom of residents of the regions occupied by them”, he adds.