Three police officers of the National Force who were working security for the Olympic Games were attacked by drug dealers on Wednesday afternoon, August 10, as they entered Vila do João by mistake, a slum of the Complexo da Maré, in the north zone of Rio de Janeiro.

Two of them were shot and one of them, Private Helio Vieira of the Military police of Roraima, was hospitalized in severe conditions in Salgado Filho hospital, in Méier. 


Vieira was shot in the head and underwent a five-hour surgery.

The case led the Minister of Justice, Alexandre de Moraes, to call an emergency meeting with all the representatives of the security forces to plan possible actions in Complexo da Maré.

DRUGDEALERS' ACTIONS

All the police officers had come from other states and were in Rio to work security of the venues hosting the Olympic competitions.

They were trying to access the Linha Amarela express highway, the main road to the Olympic Park in the neighborhood of Barra da Tijuca, but took the wrong exit and entered a street that leads to Vila do João, where they were confronted by the drug dealers.


Witnesses say that the National Force car was shot several times by machine guns.

After shooting, the criminals ran into the slum's alleyways. The three officers were helped by local residents, military troops and a taxi driver who was driving by.

Translated by THOMAS MUELLO

Read the article in the original language

	Marcos Martins/Folhapress
	Three police officers of the National Force who were working security for the Olympics were attacked by drug dealers as they entered Vila do João by mistake, a slum of the Complexo da Maré