VIDEO: Police officers shoot 24 times and kill a man already lying on the ground during an approach in the North Zone of SP

A video recorded by witnesses shows military police officers shooting at least 24 times at Antonio Nunes Batista, 40, after he fell to the ground during an approach in Vila Dionísia, in the North Zone of São Paulo. The case happened in the early hours of October 3, on Rua Afonso Lopes Vieira.

The images obtained by TV Globo and g1 record the moment in which Antonio is hit by a stun gun, falls to the asphalt and remains apparently motionless before the agents start shooting. In the audio, it is possible to hear dozens of gunshots (see video above).

According to the police report registered with the State Department of Homicide and Personal Protection (DHPP), military police officers were patrolling the region around 1 am when they found Antonio in an apparent state of distress.

According to the version reported by the agents, Antonio was armed with a knife and an iron bar and was threatening pedestrians. The police stated that they used an electroshock weapon to try to restrain him, but that the measure would not have been enough.

Police officers shoot 24 times and kill a man already lying on the ground during an approach in the North Zone of SP — Photo: Personal Archive

As the supposed armed attack continued, three police officers said they had fired their firearms to repel the attack. The recording, however, shows the man already down when the shooting starts. According to the police report, none of the three police officers were using body cameras (read more below).

After being shot, Antonio was rescued by a rescue unit and taken to the Emergency Care Unit (UPA) Peri 3. His death was confirmed at the health unit.

According to the B.O., the investigation carried out at the scene collected 24 detonated cases of .40 caliber ammunition, a projectile fragment and three electroshock weapon cartridges.

Experts also recovered a knife with a white plastic handle and a damaged barbecue fork. An iron bar, mentioned by the police in the incident report, does not appear among the objects described as seized by the expert.

In a statement, the Public Security Secretariat (SSP) stated that the police officers involved were preventively removed from operational activities, "in accordance with the procedures adopted to investigate the facts" (read more below).

Antonio Nunes Batista, 40 years old, died after being shot by military police in the North Zone of SP. — Photo: Reproduction

What the images show

At the beginning of the recording, Antonio appears on the sidewalk, wearing a white blouse and holding a bag. On the other side, in the middle of the street, at least five military police officers point guns in his direction. There are vehicles stopped in traffic, and it is not possible to hear the dialogue between the agents and the man.

Afterwards, the man appears to try to leave the location of the approach. The police deploy a stun gun, and he falls to the ground. That's when the police start shooting. The recording records a sequence of shots while Antonio remains down.

The video does not allow us to hear precisely what was said during the approach or clarify, on its own, what happened before the recording began.

Investigation

The case was registered as a homicide resulting from opposition to police intervention, resistance and possession of a bladed weapon.

According to the B.O., although the three police officers who shot Antonio did not use body cameras, the military police officer responsible for conducting the incident and other members of the team, heard as witnesses, had the equipment.

According to the police record, when the Civil Police requested immediate access to the recordings, they were informed that the images would need to be formally requested from the responsible body. DHPP made the request via email.

Investigators also identified that security cameras from two buses that were stopped in front of the location could have recorded the approach.

What the SSP says

"The Public Security Secretariat (SSP) informs that the circumstances surrounding the death of a 40-year-old man, which occurred in the early hours of last Saturday (3), in Vila Dionísia, north of the capital, are being rigorously investigated by the competent bodies.

Military police officers were called to respond to an incident involving a man apparently in an outbreak, who was carrying a knife and an iron bar and threatening pedestrians. During the approach, the man advanced towards the police, who used electroshock devices twice, without success. As the threat continued, the agents fired firearms. The man was rescued at UPA Peri 3, but did not resist.

The weapons of the officers involved were seized for forensic examination, and body camera footage was requested for analysis. Necroscopic and toxicological examinations were also requested from the Legal Medical Institute (IML).

The case is investigated by the Department of Homicide and Personal Protection (DHPP), which opened a police investigation. At the same time, a Military Police Inquiry (IPM) was opened, with monitoring by the PM Internal Affairs Department. The police officers involved were preventively removed from operational activities, in accordance with the procedures adopted to investigate the facts.

The PM reinforces its commitment to transparency and the rigorous investigation of all circumstances of the occurrence, ensuring that any irregularities identified are dealt with in accordance with current legislation."