Gunman surrenders, wounds at least two in hostage situation in Rio

A hostage situation erupted at the main bus station in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. A man opened fire and detained 17 passengers, according to police.

A man took bus passengers hostage and shot and wounded at least two people in the main bus station of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, this Tuesday, March 12, police said.

A few minutes later, the hostage-taker surrendered and the hostages were released unharmed.

Great confusion in the station

The area has been cordoned off and agents from the Special Operations Battalion (BOPE), an elite unit, are “negotiating the site”, the military police of Rio (south-east) initially indicated in a press release. According to media reports, around 15 people were initially taken hostage.

“A man shot two people at the Novo Rio bus station and held hostages on the bus,” police said, adding that the injured were taken to hospital.

Images from the Globonews channel show the biggest confusion reigns at this large bus station in the center of Rio, from where coaches depart to serve other regions of Brazil.

“A man pulled out a gun, started shooting and entered the bus. I have two friends on this bus, everyone is desperate, we don’t know what will happen,” a witness told this channel’s microphone.

In 2000, two people were killed when bus passengers were taken hostage in a residential area. The episode was broadcast live on television for hours, causing great excitement, and inspired the film “Parda 174”.

More recently, in 2019, a man was shot dead by police after taking about thirty bus passengers hostage on the massive bridge connecting Rio de Janeiro with the city of Niteroi, the nerve center of traffic in the region.