At least 13 people were killed in clashes with Brazilian police outside the coastal city of Rio de Janeiro following a raid to arrest a gang leader on Thursday. According to the Brazilian police, all the deceased were suspected criminals. Among the dead was Leonardo Costa Araujo, accused of being a drug gang leader from the northern state of Para. He was involved in the deaths of several police officers in Para in recent years, and the police believed he was hiding in the area.
The police reported that three residents were injured during the clashes.
Rio de Janeiro Governor Claudio Castro wrote in a social media post, "We will not allow Rio to be a hideout for gang members from other states."
The clashes took place in the Salgueiro neighborhood, a working-class area in São Gonçalo, northeast of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil's second-largest city. Police forces in Rio regularly conduct violent raids in the sprawling urban slums in the region.
