Thirteen children freed after hostage-taking at Brazilian school
Special police units ended a hostage situation at a preschool facility in Curitiba after about three hours.
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Thirteen children were freed on Friday after being held at a preschool facility in Curitiba. Police ended the hostage situation after about three hours of negotiations; the children were brought out of the building alive and received medical care. Nothing is yet known about the suspect’s background.
The children were held at the municipal Centro Municipal de Educação Infantil São Braz in Curitiba, in the state of Paraná. According to police, a man entered the facility and locked himself in a room with the children. Other children and staff were able to leave the building before the special units intervened.
Negotiators tried to persuade the man to surrender. Police said the situation was deteriorating and that the children were coming under increasing strain. The special police battalion BOPE then carried out a tactical operation. The suspect died during the police operation; the authorities have not reported that a child died in it.
Brazil’s state police said the thirteen children were between four and five years old. Five children were taken to a medical facility for checks. Associated Press reported, citing police information, that none of the children was injured, but a full medical report has not been made public. It is therefore only established that all the children were freed and received care.
The municipality of Curitiba made psychological support available to the children, their families and the staff. According to police, the management and staff of the facility had already taken the other children to a safe place. The fire service, ambulance services and municipal security services were also involved in the operation.
The suspect’s identity has not been made public. His motive and any connection with the facility are being investigated. Police spokespeople said in their initial statements that threats had been made during the hostage situation, but the exact course of the intervention and the circumstances surrounding the suspect’s death still need to be established through an investigation.
The outcome is the most important news for the families involved: all thirteen children have been found and could be cared for. At the same time, the incident remains a serious security incident. The municipality has not yet announced any nationwide conclusions or new security rules; for now, the focus is on aftercare, the investigation and support for the school community.
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The freeing of all thirteen children was confirmed by the Brazilian police, AP and EFE. Differences over medical details have not been smoothed over; the article mentions only care and medical checks.
- confirmed Thirteen children were held at a preschool facility in Curitiba and freed. — Confirmed by the state police, AP and EFE. source
- confirmed The hostage situation lasted about three hours. — Police and EFE describe about three hours of negotiations and confinement. source
- confirmed The suspect died during the police operation. — This was reported by AP and EFE on the basis of police statements. source
- confirmed Five children were taken for medical checks. — This is stated in the state police report. source
- confirmed The municipality offered psychological support to those involved. — AP reports the support promised by Curitiba. source
- confirmed The motive and any connection between the suspect and the facility have not yet been established. — Police had not issued a definitive statement on this. source
Editor's note
The freeing of the children, the police operation and the care made available were confirmed by the state police, AP and EFE. Details about medical consequences, the motive and the exact course of the intervention are limited or still under investigation.Sources
- Brazilian police kill suspect who held 13 children at knifepoint in school — Associated Press
- Após intervenção do BOPE, PMPR resgata 13 crianças mantidas reféns em CMEI de Curitiba — Secretaria da Segurança Pública do Paraná
- La Policía brasileña rescata a los 13 niños secuestrados en una escuela — Agencia EFE