Brazil: Gunmen kill 14 people at a nightclub in Fortaleza
A local gang, which is battling its rival for control of drug dealing points in the city, is believed to be behind the attack.
Unidentified gunmen killed 14 people at a nightclub in Northeast Brazil early on Saturday morning, the BBC reported. A gang known as the Guardians of the State, which deals in drugs, was behind the attack in Fortaleza.
“There is no reason for panic and fear,” Security Secretary for Ceara state Andre Costa said. “It is a one-off event, as occurs all over the world, with 50 or 60 deaths.”
The Guardians of the State is battling rival gang Vermelho Command for control of points of sale for drugs in Fortaleza’s poorer neighbourhoods, the Latin American Herald Tribune quoted Costa as saying.
The attackers arrived at the venue in three cars. Two minors were among those killed, and six people, including a 12-year-old boy, were wounded. Two of the injured are believed to be in a serious condition.
In 2017, 5,023 people were murdered in the state of Ceara in Brazil, a 47% increase since 2016.