Acre school shooting in Rio Branco leaves two dead and two injured
A school shooting in Acre state in northern Brazil left two women dead and two others injured, including an 11-year-old student, after a 13-year-old student allegedly opened fire inside a public school in Rio Branco on Tuesday, authorities said. Officials said the suspected shooter admitted carrying out the attack at Instituto Sao Jose and used a firearm belonging to a legal guardian, later reported to be his stepfather, who was also detained as part of the investigation.
Police said the gunfire erupted in a hallway near the principal’s office, where the suspect fired multiple shots before surrendering to authorities. Two female school staff members were killed at the scene, while another staff member and the young student were wounded and taken to the hospital, with the girl suffering a gunshot wound to the leg. Officials did not release the victims’ identities as investigators continued to examine the circumstances surrounding the attack.
Witnesses described panic and chaos as students and staff tried to escape the school building, with some attempting to scale a high wall to reach nearby safety. A hotel worker next to the school said he heard repeated gunfire and screaming as students fled in different directions, with only a few managing to climb over the barrier while others remained trapped inside. Images from the scene showed injured victims being rushed away on stretchers and grieving relatives gathered outside the school.
Local officials announced a three-day suspension of classes across the state and said psychological support teams were being deployed to assist students, teachers, and families affected by the tragedy. Authorities also expressed condolences and solidarity with the school community as the investigation continues into how the teenager obtained the weapon and carried out the attack.
The shooting adds to a troubling pattern of violence at educational institutions in Brazil in recent years, including fatal attacks and stabbings at schools and childcare centers in multiple states since 2022, prompting renewed concern over school safety and access to firearms.
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