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Suzano massacre

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The Suzano Massacre, also known as the Suzano school massacre, was a school shooting and a failed bombing, that took place on March 13, 2019, at the Professor Raul Brasil State School in the Brazilian municipality of Suzano, São Paulo State, in which five students and two school staff members were killed. Before the attack, the perpetrators, 17-year-old Guilherme Taucci Monteiro and 25-year-old Luiz Henrique de Castro, killed Taucci's uncle before the attack. After killing most of their victims in the school, Taucci killed his partner and then committed suicide. Eleven additional people were injured by gunshots, and gunfire was also exchanged with the police. Some were injured while trying to escape.[2][3]

Suzano school massacre
A photo of Taucci aiming at one of the students.
Map
Suzano is located in Brazil
Suzano
Suzano
LocationEscola Estadual Professor Raul Brasil, Suzano, São Paulo, Brazil
Coordinates23°32′04″S 46°18′56″W / 23.5344°S 46.3155°W / -23.5344; -46.3155
Date13 March 2019; 5 years ago (2019-03-13)
c. 9:40 a.m. (BRT (UTC-3))
TargetStudents and staff at Professor Raul Brasil State School
Attack type
School shooting, mass murder, murder–suicide, attempted bombing, shootout
Weapons
Deaths10 (9 at the school, including both perpetrators; and Taucci's uncle at a car shop)
Injured11
PerpetratorsGuilherme Taucci Monteiro
Luiz Henrique de Castro
MotiveRetaliation for bullying, Far-right extremism, family problems
ConvictedUnnamed 17-year old
Verdict45 days

The attack was the second major and second deadliest school shooting in Brazil, after the Realengo massacre in 2011.[4] It is also the ninth fatal school shooting in Brazilian history.

The shooting has inspired many copycat killings in and outside of Brazil.

Attack

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A photo of one of the perpetrators aiming with his revolver at a student

Earlier in the day, at around 9 a.m local time, the gunmen shot three times and killed Taucci's uncle, the shopkeeper Jorge Antônio Moraes, in a nearby car shop. The man was taken to the hospital but succumbed to his injuries, dying hours later.[5] According to the investigation, Henrique was planning on killing a neighbor of his that was an electrician because they had had a misunderstanding months before. They had a pact, in which each one would kill someone before the school massacre. An hour and half before the school attack, Henrique went to his neighbor's house. Finding the gate closed, he persistently called him out but the man did not answer and so Luiz went away.[6]

In the same day, one of the killers posted a series of photos in a social media platform, where he appeared with a skull mask, holding the firearm he would later use and doing a gun sign with his hand against his head. The two attackers then drove to the school in a white Chevrolet Onix[7] that Henrique had legally rented at Localiza.[8]

The crime occurred at around 9:40 a.m. local time on a Wednesday, March 13, 2019, in the Professor Rual Brasil State School, in Suzano, Greater São Paulo.[9] Guilherme Taucci Monteiro, 17 years old, and Luiz Henrique de Castro, 25 years old, entered the building hooded, with combat boots and balaclavas with skulls. Taucci entered the building first. He then turned around and began shooting at two school staff members as well as several students at a distance of approximately 3 feet (0.91 m) in front of him, before entering the main patio in search of more potential victims. He disappeared from camera and then moved on to the institution's linguistics center.

By this time, Henrique appeared on camera entering the building in a hurry while holding several weapons, including a bow which he eventually left on the floor. He approached the corpses lying on the ground and struck them with a hatchet. Fleeing students started to run from the patio towards the school entrance hall. On the way, they encountered Henrique, who was still in the entrance hall. Other students who had hidden themselves when they first heard gunshots were able to avoid being shot.[3] Five students between 15 and 17 years old and two school staff members were killed.[9]

According to the 2017 School Census, the institution had 358 students between 6th and 9th grade (middle school and freshman year) and 693 students in secondary school.[9] The school was locked down by police, who searched it and found a caliber 38 revolver, speedloaders, a crossbow, a traditional bow and arrow, possible Molotov cocktails, a hatchet and a wired bag. A bomb squad was dispatched to the scene and found that it was a fake explosive.[10]

 
Weapons used by the killers during the attack.

Perpetrators

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Guilherme Taucci and Luiz Henrique
BornGuilherme Taucci Monteiro
(2001-07-05)July 5, 2001
Mogi das Cruzes, São Paulo, Brazil
Luiz Henrique de Castro
(1993-03-16)March 16, 1993
Suzano, São Paulo, Brazil
Died(2019-03-13)March 13, 2019 (aged 17 and 25)
Suzano, São Paulo, Brazil (both)

Guilherme Taucci Monteiro (July 5, 2001 – March 13, 2019), then 17 years old, was an ex-student of the school and had dropped his studies due to bullying.[8] He lived with his grandparents as his mother had addiction problems.[8] Taucci liked goth culture and sympathized with Nazism. The father of Luiz Henrique, his best-friend and with whom he invaded the school, had promised to get him a job in the same service of Square cleaning and conservation in São Paulo. According to his grandfather, Taucci went to a LAN house with Henrique and did not find it weird that he had money for games or online shopping, because his grandson did some odd jobs. The last one had been as a vendor in a hotdog stand, where he earned 600 reais (USD$114).[11] With the death of his grandmother four months before the attack, Taucci started showing sign of clinical depression. Taucci and Henrique had met when they were kids and, since then, were always together.[12] Their days consisted of walking through the mall and regular visits to the neighborhood's LAN house, where they used to play first-person shooter games.[13] Monteiro would be responsible for all eight fatalities on the day of the attacks.

Luiz Henrique de Castro (March 16, 1993 – March 13, 2019).[10] then 25 years old, was also an ex-student of the school. He lived with his parents, an older brother and his 80 year old grandfather. According to his neighbors, he had a job gardening with a company in Eastern São Paulo. César Expedito, a friend of Henrique for 14 years, stated that he liked playing ball and video-games and that he never displayed any aggressive behavior. According to César, Henrique studied at Raul Brasil School for a year and then changed schools, never having been expelled and worked in Guaianases.[14]

According to some reports, both perpetrators were influenced by Dogolachan, an imageboard, where every participant is anonymous (Luiz was known as luhkrcher666 and Guilherme as 1guY-55chaN).[15] The forum is known for its condoning of terrorism and violence, with content filled with intolerance towards minorities and sexism.[16] They had planned the attack for a year and, inspired by the Columbine High School massacre, they hoped the attack would draw more attention than the Columbine massacre.[2] In a statement from Taucci's mother, Taucci had reportedly been bullied because of his acne. She also stated that he had been harassed by a fellow pupil.[8] Henrique was described by his father as "weak-minded and would do what the other people wanted". A third suspect, not directly involved in the attack, stated that the perpetrators also intended to carry out rapes.[17] The perpetrators were seen wearing clothing resembling those worn by the main characters in Elephant, a movie about a school shooting in which a murder-suicide between the shooters ends the movie.[18]

The third suspect, a 17 year old, was sentenced to spend 45 days in an institution. At the teenager's house, police found drawings of dead people, encrypted messages, and weapons very similar to the ones found in the two killers’ houses. A video showed Taucci and the third suspect going to a shooting range and training shots with air soft guns and bow and arrow, five days before the attack. According to the Police, the teenager had also participated in buying the hatchet used to injure students and teachers. After arresting the teenager, the Suzano station considered that he was the intellectual author of the school attack, alongside Taucci, even though the reason why he did not participate of the attack is not known. The defense of the teenager contested the accusations.[19]

Victims

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The coroner's hearse going into the attacked school.

Two fatal victims were school staff members. The first victim to be shot was Marilena Ferreira Vieira Umezu, a pedagogical coordinator. The other staff member, Eliana Regina de Oliveira Xavier, was an inspector (school organization agent).[20] Five high school students were killed, four of whom died at the site and one en route to a hospital.[21]

 
Ecumenical service after the attack
 
Memorial for the victims in front of the school

The attack also left eleven students wounded who were taken to nearby hospitals. Two of these victims, who presented a more serious clinical condition, were transferred to Hospital das Clínicas in São Paulo.[22][23][24] According to the police, Taucci, the youngest shooter, killed his partner Henrique and then committed suicide.

Deaths

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Source: G1[9]

Name Age Observations
Jorge Antônio de Moraes 51 Monteiro's uncle, killed by his nephew before the school attack.
Marilena Ferreira Vieira Umezu 59 Pedagogical coordinator
Eliana Regina de Oliveira Xavier 38 Inspector
Caio Oliveira 15 Student
Claiton Antônio Ribeiro 17
Douglas Murilo Celestino 16
Kaio Lucas da Costa Limeira 15
Samuel Melquíades Silva 16
Luiz Henrique de Castro 25 Shooter, killed by his partner Guilherme
Guilherme Taucci Monteiro 17 Shooter, committed suicide

Reactions

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Public Security Secretaries participate in press conference at the Raul Brasil School

Many authorities, politicians, artists[25] and other people expressed their condolences and commented on the tragedy.[26] The attack was praised by neo-nazi groups, and Taucci's grave started being visited by admirers.[27]

State government

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Police in front of the school

João Doria, governor of São Paulo, canceled his routine activities and flew to Suzano in a helicopter[28] along with Rossieli Soares, the state's Secretary of Education; Colonel Salles, military police commander; and army general João Camilo Pires de Campos. Doria lamented the attack and decreed 3 days of mourning in the state.[29]

Federal government

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President Jair Bolsonaro lamented the tragedy and expressed his condolences to the victims' families on a tweet posted 6 hours after the tragedy.[30][31][32] Ricardo Vélez Rodríguez, Minister of Education, expressed solidarity: "My condolences to the families. I express my contempt towards that demonstration of violence. I'll be closely following the investigation".[26] Onyx Lorenzoni, Chief of Staff, also tweeted his condolences.[33] Damares Alves, Minister of Women, Family and Human Rights, lamented the event and offered support by the Ministry.[34]

Legislative power

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Rodrigo Maia, President of the Chamber of Deputies, expressed his solidarity towards the families of victims and said that "it's time for Brazil to unite forces and competences to understand what happened and prevent new massacres like that one from occurring".[35] Davi Alcolumbre, President of the Senate, expressed his condolences and tweeted: "I hope that the real causes behind that tragedy be discovered".[36] As a result of the shooting, many congress members brought the question of gun control back into debate, with some criticizing the relaxation of gun laws.[26][37]

São Paulo's federal congressman Júnior Bozella wanted to create a bill as a reaction to the tragedy, justifying that violent video games can lead the youth to commit "massive acts of violence". Júnior's proposal was criticized by several sectors, who considered as a "censorship setback" that could bring economic problems to Brazil. [38][39]

Judicial power

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Dias Toffoli, President of the Supreme Federal Court, read a note during an ordinary plenary section on March 13 in which he expressed his solidarity towards the families and friends of the victims and to society as a whole, which "is also a victim of that kind of tragedy". He also stated: "we can't let hatred enter our society".[40]

Press

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The tragedy was followed by Brazilian media and attracted attention of international media including BBC News, Le Figaro, Focus, El País and The Guardian.[41] Part of the press reflected on the fact that President Bolsonaro did not publicly talk about the tragedy as soon as it was confirmed. The post on his social media came after state ministers and the vice-president Hamilton Mourão addressed it.[42]

Tribute

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The lunch lady Silmara Silva de Moraes, that helped hide the students during the attack, received honors from the governor João Dória in 2020. In April of 2021, she was the first education professional to be vaccinated against COVID-19.[43]

Copycat killings

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The Suzano massacre would go on to inspire copycats, with Henrique and Taucci being mentioned as an influence for men responsible for or suspected in other mass killings. Which include:

  • Eber Louzada Zippinotti Municipal School, August 19, 2022, Vitória, Espírito Santo, Brazil. Henrique Lira Trad, a 18-year-old former student, invaded his old school with crossbows, molotov cocktails and knives. His plan was to kill "as many people as possible in the school" and force a confrontation with the police, where he would be killed. It is known that Henrique began planning his attack after the Suzano massacre, according to authorities.[citation needed]
  • The Aracruz school shootings were a shooting spree that occurred on November 25, 2022, at two schools in Aracruz, Espírito Santo, Brazil. Four people were killed, and 12 others were injured. The suspect,Gabriel Castiglioni, a 16-year-old former student at one of the schools, was arrested approximately four hours later. Castiglioni was part of the true crime community and was inspired by the Suzano massacre.[citation needed]
  • Attack at Thomazia Montoro State School, March 27, 2023, Vila Sônia, São Paulo, Brazil: A 13-year-old student (whose identity was not revealed) stabbed four teachers, killing one, and injured another student with a knife. His X (Twitter) nickname was "Taucci", and he also was wearing a skull mask during the attack.[citation needed]
  • Attack at Professor Helena Kolody School, June 19, 2023, Cambé, Paraná, Brazil: Marcos Vinícius da Silva Damas, a 21-year-old former student, shot and killed two 16-year-old students. Marcos mentioned the Suzano massacre in the notebook that the police found.[44][45][46]
  • Attack at Technological University of Guadalajara, March 6, 2024, Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico: Gabriel Alejandro Galaviz, a 20-years-old young man, invaded a private university where he killed two female workers and injured another male worker with an ax and two knives. He also killed another woman at a motel moments before attacking at the university. Gabriel published pictures of Guilherme Taucci Monteiro and other school shooters on his Facebook profile[citation needed]. On August 5, 2024, he committed suicide in jail.[47]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Dantas, Dimitrius (March 13, 2019). "Atiradores eram ex-alunos e mataram dono de locadora antes de ataque na escola em Suzano" [Shooters were former students and killed the owner of a rental company before the school attack in Suzano]. O Globo (in Portuguese). Editora Globo S/A. Retrieved March 13, 2019.
  2. ^ a b Martins, Lais (March 13, 2019). "Inspired by Columbine, Brazil pair kill eight and themselves in school shooting". Reuters. Retrieved March 16, 2019.
  3. ^ a b Gigova, Radina; Sanchez, Ray (March 13, 2019). "At least 8 people were killed in a school shooting in Brazil". CNN. Turner Broadcasting System. Retrieved March 13, 2019.
  4. ^ "Brazil school shooting: São Paulo gunmen were former pupils". BBC. March 13, 2019. Retrieved March 13, 2019.
  5. ^ "Tio de um dos assassinos de Suzano foi baleado antes de ataque a escola". G1 (in Brazilian Portuguese). March 13, 2019. Retrieved May 31, 2024.
  6. ^ estadaoconteudo. "Antes de ir à escola, atiradores planejavam matar desafetos". Terra (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved May 31, 2024.
  7. ^ Padin, Guilherme (March 13, 2019). "Carro usado por atiradores em Suzano foi alugado em fevereiro" [Car used by gunmen in Suzano was rented in February]. R7 (in Portuguese). Rádio e Televisão Record S.A. Retrieved March 14, 2019.
  8. ^ a b c d "Brazil school shooting: Gunmen 'had planned attack'". BBC. March 14, 2019. Retrieved March 14, 2019.
  9. ^ a b c d "Veja quem são as vítimas do massacre em escola de Suzano" [See who are the victims of the Suzano school massacre]. G1 (in Brazilian Portuguese). Globo Comunicação e Participações S.A. March 13, 2019. Retrieved March 14, 2019.
  10. ^ a b "Adolescentes atiram dentro de escola e matam 6 pessoas em Suzano, diz polícia" [Teenagers shoot inside school and kill 6 people in Suzano, police say]. G1 (in Portuguese). Globo Comunicação e Participações S.A. March 13, 2019. Archived from the original on March 13, 2019. Retrieved March 13, 2019.
  11. ^ "'Ele sempre gostou dessa coisas de nazismo, gótico', diz mãe de atirador". O Globo (in Brazilian Portuguese). March 14, 2019. Retrieved May 31, 2024.
  12. ^ "Everything We Know About the School Shooting in Brazil". VICE. March 14, 2019. Retrieved March 19, 2019.
  13. ^ "Obsessão por game, abandono dos pais e bullying marcaram vida de atirador". Folha de S.Paulo (in Brazilian Portuguese). March 14, 2019. Retrieved May 31, 2024.
  14. ^ "Saiba quem são os assassinos de Suzano". G1 (in Brazilian Portuguese). March 14, 2019. Retrieved May 31, 2024.
  15. ^ Siqueira, Filipe; Guimarães, Caíque (March 13, 2019). "Em fórum extremista, atiradores pediram 'dicas' para atacar escola" [In an extremist internet forum, gunmen asked for 'hints' to attack school]. R7 (in Portuguese). Rádio e Televisão Record S.A. Retrieved March 14, 2019.
  16. ^ Declercq, Marie (March 13, 2019). "Nos chans, já se celebra o massacre na escola de Suzano" [On chans, the Suzano school massacre is already celebrated]. Vice (in Portuguese). Vice Media. Retrieved March 14, 2019.
  17. ^ "Massacre em Suzano teria estupros e uso de granadas, diz 3º suspeito". Yahoo! Notícias. March 20, 2019. Retrieved April 4, 2019.
  18. ^ Romano, Giovanna (March 26, 2021). "Suicídio, roupa preta, arma branca: semelhanças entre Columbine e Suzano". VEJA (in Portuguese). Archived from the original on July 15, 2024.
  19. ^ "Justiça condena terceiro suspeito de ataque na escola Raul Brasil, em Suzano". NSC Total (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved May 31, 2024.
  20. ^ "Assassinos planejaram massacre em escola de Suzano por mais de um ano, aponta investigação". G1 (in Brazilian Portuguese). March 14, 2019. Retrieved May 31, 2024.
  21. ^ "Veja quem são as vítimas do massacre em escola de Suzano | Metrópoles". www.metropoles.com (in Brazilian Portuguese). March 13, 2019. Retrieved May 31, 2024.
  22. ^ Amorim, Silvia (March 13, 2019). "Coordenadora morta em ataque de Suzano usava redes para comentar tragédias e política". O Globo. Retrieved March 15, 2019.
  23. ^ Dantas, Dimitrius; Martins, Elisa; Schmitt, Gustavo (March 13, 2019). "Ataque a tiros deixa ao menos dez mortos em escola de Suzano, na Grande São Paulo". O Globo. Retrieved March 15, 2019.
  24. ^ Paranhos, Thaís; Stumpf, Fernanda (March 13, 2019). "Veja quem são as vítimas do massacre em escola de Suzano". Metrópoles. Retrieved March 15, 2019.
  25. ^ "Famosos se revoltam com tragédia de Suzano que deixou 10 mortos: "Deus, por quê?"". Caras. March 13, 2019.
  26. ^ a b c "Veja a repercussão do ataque a escola em Suzano". G1. March 13, 2019.
  27. ^ "'Um ídolo para eles': investigação sobre neonazistas revela admiração a autor de massacre em Suzano". BBC News Brasil (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved May 31, 2024.
  28. ^ "'Cena mais triste que assisti em toda a minha vida', diz Doria sobre ataque em escola em Suzano". G1. March 13, 2019.
  29. ^ Agência Brasil (March 13, 2019). "Doria decreta luto de três dias por mortes em escola de Suzano". EBC - Empresa Brasil de Comunicação.
  30. ^ "Massacre em escola de Suzano é noticiado na imprensa internacional". Veja. March 13, 2019.
  31. ^ Marcelo Camargo (March 13, 2019). "No Twitter, Bolsonaro lamenta massacre em escola de Suzano". Folha de Londrina.
  32. ^ "Pelo Twitter, Bolsonaro presta condolências às famílias das vítimas de Suzano". Metro Jornal. March 13, 2019.
  33. ^ "Meus sentimentos às famílias das vítimas do terrível atentado em Suzano". Onyx Lorenzoni. Twitter. March 13, 2019. Retrieved March 13, 2019.
  34. ^ "Acordamos hoje com esta terrível notícia e estou estarrecida". Damares Alves. Twitter. March 13, 2019. Retrieved March 13, 2019.
  35. ^ "A tragédia de Suzano, hoje, mostra que é hora de o Brasil unir forças e competências para compreender o que houve e impedir a repetição de massacres como este". Rodrigo Maia. Twitter. March 13, 2019. Retrieved March 13, 2019.
  36. ^ "Presidente do Senado lamenta tragédia em Suzano". Senado Notícias. March 13, 2019. Retrieved March 13, 2019.
  37. ^ Guilherme Seto (March 13, 2019). "Major Olímpio diz que tragédia em Suzano seria evitada se professores estivessem armados". Folha de S.Paulo.
  38. ^ http://dropsdejogos.com.br/index.php/noticias/industria/item/5277-opiniao-o-caso-do-deputado-que-quer-proibir-jogos-violentos-no-brasil-deveria-ser-repercutir-internacionalmente [bare URL]
  39. ^ "Projeto de lei que criminaliza os jogos violentos é um retrocesso faraônico".
  40. ^ "Nota de pesar do presidente do STF sobre tragédia em Suzano (SP)". STF. March 13, 2019. Retrieved March 13, 2019.
  41. ^ "Massacre em escola de Suzano é noticiado na imprensa internacional". G1 (in Brazilian Portuguese). March 13, 2019. Retrieved May 31, 2024.
  42. ^ "Após 6 horas de silêncio, Bolsonaro define tragédia em Suzano como 'monstruosidade'". Folha de S.Paulo (in Brazilian Portuguese). March 13, 2019. Retrieved May 31, 2024.
  43. ^ "SP: Sobrevivente de tragédia em Suzano é primeira profissional da educação vacinada". TV Cultura (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved May 31, 2024.
  44. ^ "At least one dead after school shooting in southern Brazil". Reuters. June 20, 2023.
  45. ^ Staff, A. O. L. "Second teenager in Brazil school shooting dies in hospital". www.aol.com. Retrieved April 16, 2024.
  46. ^ "Saiba o que autor de atentado em escola declarou à Polícia Civil - Umuarama News" (in Brazilian Portuguese). June 19, 2023. Retrieved May 11, 2024.
  47. ^ https://www.poresto.net/mexico/sucesos/2024/8/5/gabriel-n-acusado-de-3-feminicidios-en-jalisco-se-suicida-en-el-penal-de-puente-grande.amp.html
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