Spanish tourist killed by police in Rio

A Spanish tourist died Monday morning (Oct. 23) after being shot by military police agents in Rocinha, a favela in southern Rio de Janeiro. Maria Esperanza Jimenez Ruiz is reported to have been in a tourist car that broke through a police road block in Largo do Boiadeiro at around 10:30 am, which led to her being shot.

The woman was taken to the Miguel Couto Municipal Hospital, but succumbed to her injuries, the police reported. They are also investigating the case.

Earlier on, two military police agents had been wounded during a shootout with criminals in the same slum.

State security authorities expressed their grief over the death of the tourist and said they are keeping a close watch on the probes alongside the police and the city's homicide division, which has also investigated the case.

The Spanish Consulate in Rio de Janeiro said they are also following the work of investigators and offering assistance to the victim's family members and those of other two Spanish tourists in the car. No information has been made public regarding the release of the body.

Translated by Fabrício Ferreira