A shooting has been reported in the Botafogo area of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, with multiple social media users describing hearing intense gunfire across parts of the city before dawn on Tuesday. One resident, Guilherme Lima, said on X that an “insanely intense shootout” could be heard from Botafogo, although he said he could not tell exactly where it was coming from.
The post included a video appearing to capture the sound of sustained gunfire in the distance. Another user, Rachel Block, reported a shooting in Morro Dona Marta, writing: “Something unprecedented. It’s scary even to be lying down kms. away.” Brazilian journalist Renan Brites Peixoto also commented on the situation, posting: “Rio de Janeiro is a state at war.” His post included footage appearing to show armed individuals running from a Shell petrol station. It has not been confirmed who the individuals are, and it remains unclear whether they are law enforcement officers or another armed group. The reports have not been independently verified.
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