A brazen robbery attempt outside a school in Sao Paolo, Brazil, turned deadly when an off-duty police officer, Katia da Silva Sastre, intervened. The incident began when Elivelton Neves Moreira, a 21-year-old gunman, approached a group of mothers and children at the school gates, brandishing a .38 revolver during a Mother’s Day event.
CCTV footage captured Moreira menacingly pointing his weapon at a school security guard and attempting to rob him. Officer Sastre, who was there with her seven-year-old daughter, quickly assessed the threat. Drawing her service weapon from her bag, she loaded it with decisive calm before stepping forward to confront Moreira.
In a rapid exchange, Sastre fired three shots, hitting Moreira in the chest and leg. Despite his attempt to retaliate, his shots either misfired or ricocheted harmlessly. Moreira collapsed, and as he lay injured, Sastre, maintaining control of the situation, kicked away his gun and restrained him until help arrived. Moreira succumbed to his injuries later in the hospital.
Sastre, reflecting on the incident, emphasized her primary concern was protecting the children and mothers from potential harm. Her quick thinking and training as a 20-year veteran of the military police were credited with preventing a potentially catastrophic outcome.
Her actions were publicly praised in a ceremony where Sao Paulo’s governor, Marcio Franca, commended her bravery and precision, presenting her with flowers in recognition of her heroism during what was supposed to be a celebratory day. The incident underscores the risks faced by law enforcement officers even off-duty and highlights the ongoing challenges of gun violence in Brazil.
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