Gunbattle on Rio’s Morro da Babilônia Leaves Two Dead as Police Tighten Patrols

Overview

• Gunfire erupted on Thursday, May 21, across Morro da Babilônia and Chapéu Mangueira and was captured in videos that show sustained shooting and city landmarks nearby.
• Military Police units from the 2º BPM, 19º BPM and the UPP increased patrols inside and around Babilônia and positioned vehicles at the foot of the hill in response to the clash.
• Police closed Avenida Carlos Peixoto near Shopping Rio Sul and diverted traffic while a local municipal school suspended classes because of the security threat.
• Officers found two bodies in the community after the fighting and registered the case at the 12th Police Station, while residents circulated unverified claims of more deaths that officials have not confirmed.
• Babilônia is one of the few South Zone favelas not controlled by Comando Vermelho, and residents say seasonal attempts to seize the area fuel repeated violence and wider disruptions to daily life.