Video shows police movement and the noise of bombs during an intervention to rescue children taken hostage in Curitiba

The 13 children were between 4 and 5 years old and were rescued well, without serious injuries. Suspect invaded the school armed and held students hostage for more than 3 hours. He was killed by the police.

By Rodrigo Brito, g1 PR and RPC — Curitiba

A video recorded police movement outside the Municipal Center for Early Childhood Education (CMEI) in Bairro São Braz, in Curitiba, where 13 children were held hostage for more than 3 hours this Friday (9). It is also possible to hear the sounds of bombs and gunshots.

The children, who are between 4 and 5 years old, were rescued late in the afternoon, well and without serious injuries, according to the Military Police (PM). They were dressed up and celebrating Children's Day when a man broke into the place, armed with a knife and a fake firearm.

According to the corporation, the man also spread a flammable liquid around the room and threatened to start a fire. After more than three hours of attempted negotiations, the man was killed by police.

"We tried our best to calm him and the children. When we realized that the children began to have a higher level of stress and he, as he was unable to control these children, began, in a way, to attack them verbally and with some even holding them in a more aggressive way. [...] At the right moment, in a window of opportunity, we opted for tactical entry. He had a lighter in his hand, threatening to set the place on fire", explained Colonel Dias.

The man was shot when, during the police entry, he tried to grab one of the children, according to the colonel.

g1 will not disclose the name of the person responsible for the attack. The decision follows the most recent recommendations from experts on the subject, who argue that giving visibility to attackers can serve as a stimulus for new attacks.

The 13 children were rescued well, without injuries, and will undergo medical and psychological care.

Colonel Dias highlights that the children were rescued safely. "When we approached them, they were, of course, very shaken. They were crying compulsively", he says. He reports that five of them were sent to the UPA, at the option of their parents, but that only one of the 13 children had visible injuries, with some bruises on the face.

During the incident, the area close to the school was isolated and the Special Police Operations Battalion (BOPE) went to the scene to try to negotiate with the suspect. A police helicopter monitored the incident.

Children who were in other CMEI rooms managed to leave the place, according to the Military Police.

Family members of the daycare students were welcomed by teams from Curitiba City Hall, which also mobilized psychologists to offer specialized care.

Guardians of children who study at a municipal school next to CMEI were called to look for the students and evacuate the school.

In a note, the City of Curitiba thanked the security forces for their work and informed that, since the beginning of the incident, it had mobilized its teams to provide all the necessary support to children, professionals and families.