A trigger-happy off-duty military police officer did not want to pay a driver for a bike trip and instead shot and killed him following the confrontation that ensued.
The incident happened in Camaragibe – Recife, Brazil, on December 1, 2024, after a brief dispute between the passenger, Venilson Cândido da Silva, and the driver of the app motorcyclist Thiago Fernandes da Silva.
The 50-year-old off-duty cop refused to pay for his fare of 7 Brazilian reais ($1.40 USD) after he got to his destination. A street CCTV captured the brief confrontation before the officer casually brought out his gun and fired a single shot at the 23-year-old driver who died at the scene.
Video below:
The footage showed the killer cop casually walking into his home. It was reported that he had attempted to flee following the stir and tried to disguise himself by changing his clothes, but was caught by the locals and severely beaten before law enforcement rescued him.
The authorities had to first treat him for his injuries before taking him in where he will be facing charges of homicide.
The Pernambuco State Secretariat of Social Defense condemned the killing which it described as “barbaric and unacceptable” and further stated that the erring officer would be removed from service.
As mostly seen in societies with an unusually high crime rate, cases of jungle justice seem to be common in Brazil. In September, an angry crowd in Jutaí-Amazonas in Brazil stormed a police station where they removed a man accused of raping and killing a baby and lynched him on camera.
It was reported that the crowd went beyond the control of the police unit after the suspect confessed to the crime. He was beaten half-dead with sticks before being set ablaze.
