Brazil Man Kills 4 Children With an Ax in Attack on Day Care Center
The city of Blumenau in southern Brazil is in shock after a man attacked a day care center and killed four children with an ax.
The incident shook the entire country and has placed pressure on the Brazilian government to deal with this surge in violence around the country. This happened only few days after another case of Brazil school violence when a 13-year-old boy in Sao Paolo attacked his school with a knife, killing one of his teachers and wounding several others, including other students.
The Associated Press reported that the recent attacker got inside the Cantinho Bom Pastor day care center by jumping over a wall. He then proceeded to attack the children, killing four kids between the ages of 5 and 7. Three boys and one girl were killed as a result of his assault.
The assailant then turned himself over at a police station. He did not appear to have any connection to the facility, which offered nursery services, preschool education, and after-school activities.
Brazil Police Still Trying to Determine Motivation for Ax Attack on Innocent Children
Detective Ronnie Esteves, who is leading the investigation, held a press conference and told reporters that authorities are still trying to find out what the 25-year-olsuspect's motives were in this attack.
The attack has rocked Blumenau, and officials have suspended classes. Jorginho Mello, the governor of the state of Santa Catarina, where the city can be found, expressed solidarity with the parents of the kids from the facility. A 30-day mourning period has been announced by the city's mayor.
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President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva also sent his condolences to the parents who lost their children. He stated on social media that "there is no greater pain than that of a family that loses its children or grandchildren, even more so when it's through an act of violence against innocent children who can't defend themselves."
A police officer told CNN that after jumping the wall, the attacker arrived at the playground and started his ax attack that seemingly targeted the children at random. Teachers soon arrived to try and save the children and force the assailant to flee.
Parents and Teachers Speak Out After Brazil Man's Ax Attack on Day Care Center
Images from local news showed parents weeping outside the Cantinho do Bom Pastor day care center. Some of them spoke with the media to express their relief and sadness from the ax attack.
Valeria Aparecida Camilo, the mother of a 5-year-old girl at the center, told the Associated Press, "They're 5 years old. What did a 5-year-old do to this person?"
A teacher, Simone Aparecida Camargo, spoke with the BBC and said that it was "a scene that you'd never imagine you'd see in your life."
"A colleague came running saying 'close the door, close the window, because someone is breaking into the building. At first, we thought it was a robbery because he tried to break in, so I locked the babies in the bathroom, then someone came to the door saying 'he's come to kill," she stated.
Camargo added while the assailant mainly used a hatchet, he also had other weapons in hand but was not able to use them as he was soon chased off by my other teachers.
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This article is owned by Latin Post.
Written by: Rick Martin
WATCH: 4 children killed in ax attack at day care center in southern Brazil - ABC 7 Chicago
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