An armed man who suffered from schizophrenia was killed by police after holding 13 children hostage in a school for over three hours.
The man, who has not been identified, broke into a classroom at the São Braz Municipal Early Childhood Education Center and held a group of young children and staffers at knifepoint for several hours in the southern city of Curitiba on Friday, local outlet Paranaíba Mais reported.
During the hours-long hostage situation, the armed man poured a liquid that smelled like gasoline in the classroom and repeatedly threatened to set it on fire.
“(The suspect) also threatened to pour gasoline onto himself and others, our negotiating teams were in place, but saw no alternative but to neutralize him,” Parana state police spokesperson Leticia Martins told reporters outside the school.
Teams from the Special Police Operations Battalion carried out the tactical intervention and the man was killed in the ordeal, according to Paranaíba Mais.
Local police commander Alexandre Dias told reporters the armed suspect was a man who suffered from schizophrenia — but did not release his identity or details on how he was killed.
“We entered the classroom using a very tactical approach, with little risk for the children,” Dias said.
Tearful parents waited outside the early childhood school while negotiations were ongoing.
Just minutes after two explosions were heard, officers brought some of the children outside.
In total, 13 children aged between 4 and 5-years-old were rescued, the outlet reported, citing police.
Five kids received medical attention but fortunately no injuries were reported.
Curitiba City Hall said the children and school staff will receive psychological support.
The incident took place in the São Braz region in Curitiba, located around 250 miles south of Brazil’s largest city, São Paulo.
With Post wires.
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