Amazonas State Clears Participation of Factions and Police Officers in Killing Spree

07/22/2015 - 10h15

The Amazonas state government is investigating whether there was any police or gangs involvement in the wave of violence that took over Manaus last weekend. In three days, 36 people were killed in the capital.

The first crime was reported on Friday afternoon, July 17th, when a sergeant in the military police, Afonso Camacho Dias, 44, was killed in an attempted robbery. Hours later, an inmate was beheaded in a city jail.

The first murder occurred immediately following these two crimes, and continued until Monday afternoon, July 20th. Of the 36 people killed, 15 had criminal records for theft and drug trafficking.

In 2011 and 2012, the municipality had, on average, less than three deaths a day.

Police are investigating whether there are any links between the deaths of the sergeant and the detainee, but they believe the two murders might have triggered the violence.

"It is possible that [the deaths] were a reprisal outside of prison due to gang disputes," the Secretary of Amazonas Public Security, Sergio Fontes told Folha.

"The sergeant was killed while he was working a second job as a cash courier, unrelated to prisons disputes. But it is possible that corrupt police officers may have used this as an excuse to execute him," Fontes added.

Amazonas state has lived with problems in its prison system for years, with overcrowded that have been taken over by gangs.

According to Fontes, who has been a Federal Police commissioner in Manaus, three gangs fight for power in the state capital.

Translated by CRISTIANE COSTA LIMA

Read the article in the original language