Brazilian Police Neutralize Suspect and Rescue 13 Kindergarteners Held Hostage in Curitiba

Brazilian police successfully rescued 13 children who were held hostage inside a kindergarten in the southern city of Curitiba, after killing the suspect who had threatened to set the building on fire, officials reported.

At least one child sustained injuries during Friday's tense standoff, according to Alexandre Lopes Dias, commander of the military police special forces unit in Parana state, though he did not provide further details regarding the injury.

Leticia Martins, a spokesperson for Parana police, explained to journalists outside the facility that the suspect scaled the school gate on Friday, forced his way into a kindergarten classroom, and took 13 children hostage. The individual poured a flammable substance inside the room, brandished a lighter, and carried a knife alongside what initially appeared to be a firearm, which was later determined to be a fake.

“Our negotiating teams were in place but saw no alternative but to neutralise him,” Martins stated, withholding any specific motives the suspect may have had.

The incident occurred in the Sao Braz neighbourhood of Curitiba, a city with a population of 1.8 million situated 400km (250 miles) south of Sao Paulo. Lopes Dias identified the suspect as a man suffering from schizophrenia, though his identity and the exact method of his death were not disclosed.

“During the entire negotiation, he stayed with all the children around him and one on his lap,” the police official noted.

After negotiations stretched for nearly three hours, the children grew restless, prompting the attacker to begin striking them, Lopes Dias told reporters.

“Once we realised that the kids were becoming increasingly upset and that the attacker started assaulting them physically, we opted for a tactical intervention to avoid a greater problem,” he added.

Outside the school, distraught parents awaited updates while negotiations unfolded. Shortly after loud sounds identified by local media as flash bangs went off, law enforcement officers emerged carrying several of the children to safety.

“We entered the classroom using a very tactical approach with little risk for the children,” Lopes Dias remarked.

Curitiba Mayor Eduardo Pimentel shared his relief on Instagram, writing: “The 13 children are alive and safe! After anguishing and tense moments, this is the news we were all waiting for.”

Brazil has faced several school-related attacks in recent years, including an April 2023 incident where an assailant used an axe to kill four children at a day care in Blumenau, also located in southern Brazil. Curitiba City Hall announced that both the children and school staffers will be provided with psychological support services.