Gunman arrested in Brazil after taking 17 passengers hostage on Bus

A gunman who shot and wounded two people and took 17 passengers, hostage, on Tuesday at the main bus station in Rio de Janeiro surrendered Wednesday morning, March 13 and freed his captives after negotiations, Brazilian police said.

 

“The hostage-taker surrendered, he was arrested, all the hostages were released, they are safe,” said Colonel Marco Andrade of the military police.

In total, 17 people were held hostage, including children and elderly, Andrade told reporters outside the station. He said one person had been shot three times, while another had lesser injuries.

 

The wounded were taken to hospital according to Brazilian reports.

Police have not released the identity of the gunman or his motives.

 

Images broadcast by the Globonews channel showed chaos at the station in the center of Rio, where buses leave for all regions of Brazil, with police deployed around the area.

 

“A man drew 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 the broadcaster.

The terminal was closed after all passengers and employees were evacuated, AFP witnessed.

 

For years, Brazil’s most iconic city, Rio de Janeiro has long been plagued by high crime rates linked to poverty and inequality.