At least 8 deaths and one attempted murder were attributed to police officers in February; One of the dead was visually impaired, according to the Police Ombudsman's Office
The São Paulo Police Ombudsman's Office released on Monday (26.Feb.2024) a report that accuses military police officers of at least 8 summary murders –among them, 2 teenagers– and abuses in Operation Escudo, carried out on the coast of São Paulo. Here's the complete (PDF – 522 kB).
In one of the cases, according to the report, two men were killed by police officers while they were talking on a rooftop, in Santos, on the coast of São Paulo. Witnesses stated that the victims had no power to react and that one of them had visual impairment.
In another case, 2 men were allegedly executed while talking in a wooded area. The PM accuses both of reacting armed to the approach, while family members deny the reaction.
The report takes into account statements collected on February 11 in Santos and São Vicente by the Police Ombudsman's Office and a commission formed by civil and military entities.
Here are some of the deaths listed in the document:
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3.Feb.2024: Can collector was killed in São Vicente;
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7.Feb.2024: 2 men killed in a forested area in Santos;
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7.Feb.2024: 2 teenagers killed during an approach in Itanhaém;
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9.Feb.2024: 2 men dead on a slab, in Santos;
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Undefined date: Passenger in app car killed while approaching ROTA.
The document also accuses the police of an attempted murder against a young man who refused to comply with the agents' orders. The victim is admitted in serious condition to a hospital on the coast.
Killed in Uber
The Ombudsman's Office is also investigating the death of an Uber passenger killed during an approach. According to the report, officers approached the driver and ordered him to exit the vehicle. Then, one of the agents shot the man in the back seat.
“The driver described that the officers asked him to get out of the car while the passenger remained in the vehicle. One of the police officers came around the car and shot the passenger.”the document states.
“After the incident, the driver reported having been threatened by the police officers to maintain the version of events as they described. Given the reported threat suffered by the witness, he was advised about the possibility of inclusion in the witness protection program.”
Torture in approach
The report also questions the approaches made by police officers to suspects' homes. The document accuses the agents of torture and home invasion.
In one of the cases, a young man was allegedly tortured with a bag over his face to provide information about other victims. The agents would have even placed a gun on the boy's chest, according to his aunt's testimony.
Another report points out that the police attempted to invade the home of a man who had been cleared of drug trafficking in 2012. The man's mother questioned whether there was a search and seizure warrant. According to the ombudsman's office, the boy has been missing since then.
In a statement, the SSP-SP (São Paulo Public Security Secretariat) stated that the deaths are “direct consequence of the violent reaction of criminals to police action”. The secretariat also guaranteed that the complaints will be investigated by the Civil and Military police.
Read the full note:
“Cases of Death Resulting from Police Intervention (MDIP) are a direct consequence of the violent reaction of criminals to police action in the fight against organized crime, which has a presence in Baixada Santista and has already victimized three military police officers since January 26th. The option for confrontation is always the suspect's, putting the lives of the police officer and the population at risk.
“The State security forces are legal institutions that act in strict compliance with their constitutional duty, and their internal affairs bodies are available to formalize and investigate any and all complaints against public agents, reaffirming the commitment to legality, human rights and transparency. The aforementioned case is investigated by the Civil and Military Police, with monitoring by the Public Ministry and the Judiciary.
“In relation to Portable Cameras, the department clarifies that those contracted during the Olho Vivo program are maintained by the Government of the State of São Paulo, with 10,125 Portable Operational Cameras (COP) available in all police battalions in the Capital and Greater São Paulo, as well such as some battalions in the interior, including Santos, Guarujá, comprising 52% of the State's police officers.
“It is important to mention that the content captured by the cameras can be shared with other bodies and institutions, such as the Public Ministry, the Civil Police and the São Paulo Court of Justice, in compliance with the principles established in the Personal Data Protection Law (LGPD)”.
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