A man armed with a knife invaded a municipal kindergarten in Curitiba on Friday afternoon, taking 13 children hostage before being killed by police after more than two hours of failed negotiations.
The incident began around 3 p.m. at the Centro Municipal de Educação Infantil (CMEI) São Braz in the São Braz neighborhood when the man jumped over the school's wall and entered a classroom where he held the children, ages 4 and 5, as hostages. Authorities were alerted and officers from the Batalhão de Operações Policiais Especiais (BOPE) cordoned off the area and initiated negotiations with the man.
Police made initial contact with the hostage-taker around 5:30 p.m., confirming he was holding 13 children. During the negotiation period, which lasted approximately three hours, security agents attempted to convince the man to release the children. The man was armed with a knife, a firearm simulator, and material he described as flammable, which he poured on the floor while threatening to set fires.
Around 6:20 p.m., police entered the location. According to authorities, when the man saw the police cordon tightening, he attempted to reach one of the children but was killed by officers. A police helicopter monitored the operation throughout the incident.
All 13 children were rescued and none were killed, according to the Polícia Militar. However, some children were assaulted by the man during the standoff. One child sustained facial injuries. Five of the 13 children were taken for medical evaluation. The children and their families were to receive medical and psychological care following the incident.
The man's identity was not disclosed by authorities. He was carrying a knife, a firearm simulator, and flammable material at the time of the incident.
The Curitiba municipal government confirmed in a statement that the police operation at the school had concluded and that all 13 children involved were alive and safe. The Municipal Education Department said it had officials prepared to assist the children and families and stated that the absolute priority was the preservation of life and integrity of all involved.