In the first weeks of 2026, six law enforcement officers have been killed in Rio de Janeiro, including four military, one civil, and one prison officer. Most fatalities occurred during off-duty robberies or gang confrontations, such as the recent death of Corporal Marcelo Balthar in Guadalupe. This highlights the high risks faced by agents both on duty and off duty officer.
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30/01/2026 – On Friday (30), a 20-year-old woman was arrested at a BRT station in Tanque, West Zone, for her involvement in a R$ 500,000 scam targeting a 77-year-old woman from Brasília. The suspect belonged to an interstate criminal organization specialized in electronic bank fraud and money laundering, which used social engineering to trick the victim into making Pix transfers to shell companies. In addition to this arrest, police executed 10 other judicial warrants across Rio and São Paulo to dismantle the group’s complex laundering structure.
30/01/2026 – On Friday (30), Military Police arrested a 32-year-old man, known as “Puro Calma,” in the Irajá neighborhood, North Zone. A member of the São Paulo-based First Capital Command (PCC), he had been a fugitive since December 2025 after violating his parole for a drug trafficking conviction. The arrest was achieved through coordinated intelligence between São Paulo and Rio authorities, following tips from the Disque Denúncia hotline. He remains in custody awaiting transfer to a permanent prison facility.
01/02/2026 – As of Sunday (1st), Rio de Janeiro’s “Barricada Zero” task force has removed over 7,000 tons of debris and cleared 2,000 streets in just two months of operations. Spanning 166 communities across 12 municipalities, the mission targets concrete blocks, iron spikes, and trenches used by organized crime to block police and public services. Despite these efforts, the challenge remains significant; the Hotline (Disque-Denúncia) received 720 new reports in the first 20 days of January alone, highlighting the rapid speed at which traffickers and militias replace these obstacles once security forces depart.
01/02/2026 – On Sunday (1st), a 41-year-old woman was killed, and two elderly men were injured by stray bullets during a shootout in the Malvinas community in Irajá. The victim, a manicurist, was working on a client’s nails at her doorstep when she was struck in the head. The two injured men, aged 71 and 72, were hospitalized, with one already discharged and the other in stable condition. Local residents held a protest the following day, blocking a major avenue to demand security as territorial disputes between rival criminal factions have intensified in the area over the last three months.
01/02/2026 – On Sunday (1st), a 19-year-old member of the “Torcida Jovem do Flamengo” organized fan group was shot and killed by police during a confrontation in Vila Isabel. Security footage shows the young man fighting with an officer on the ground during an attempted search before a second officer fired at point-blank range.
02/02/2026 – On Monday (2), Civil Police arrested a high-ranking drug trafficker accused of ordering the attack on a police helicopter that occurred in March 2025. The suspect, identified as the second-in-command of the Vila Aliança community, was arrested as he left a hotel in Botafogo while attempting to hide from authorities. The 2025 attack resulted in a pilot being shot and hospitalized for nine months. Carrying a pistol at the time of his arrest, the criminal has over 40 prior offenses, including homicide and drug trafficking.
02/02/2026 – On Monday (2), Military Police corporal Marcelo de Lima Balthar was shot and killed during a confrontation in the Guadalupe neighborhood, North Zone. The 31-year-old officer, a ten-year veteran of the force, was struck in the neck while responding to a reported invasion of the Bairro 13 community by rival gang members. The attackers, who were reportedly in a black pickup truck, fled the scene after firing on the police. Balthar was rushed to a nearby hospital but died shortly after entering surgery, leaving a wife and two children.
02/02/2026 – On Monday (2), the Civil Police arrested three individuals belonging to a group called “Geração Z” for planning coordinated explosive attacks in front of the Rio de Janeiro State Legislative Assembly (Alerj). The operation, named “Black Chain,” revealed that the group used social media and messaging apps to organize violent acts against public buildings and telecommunications infrastructure. Investigators seized instructional materials for making Molotov cocktails and nail bombs, as well as audio recordings where members discussed a “mission” to carry out attacks with small teams to gain attention.
02/02/2026 – On Monday (2), a pharmacy delivery rider was shot eight times and killed during a robbery on Porã Street in Campo Grande, West zone. The criminals fled with the victim’s motorcycle, leading police to investigate the case as a potential robbery-homicide. This incident marks the fourth shooting of a motorcycle courier in the State of Rio de Janeiro in less than a month, highlighting a dangerous trend for workers in the sector.
03/02/2026 – On Tuesday (3), a Military Police operation in the Ipase and Morro do Trem communities in Vila Kosmos resulted in a shootout that left two suspects injured. Officers from the 41st BPM were met with gunfire upon entering the area, which is controlled by the Comando Vermelho faction. The two wounded men were taken to Getúlio Vargas State Hospital, where they remain under police custody. During the action, authorities seized a rifle and a communication radio. The conflict caused local health clinics to suspend operations, and residents reported that such violent incursions have become a weekly occurrence in the neighborhood.
03/02/2026 – On Tuesday afternoon (3), an off-duty military police officer shot and killed a robber at an armored car dealership on Avenida das Américas in Barra da Tijuca. According to reports, an armed man entered the store and announced a robbery, firing a shot at the off-duty officer who was present. The officer reacted, striking and killing the assailant. Firefighters were called to the scene but found the man already deceased. Police seized a .38 caliber revolver and a mobile phone at the site, while other accomplices managed to flee.
03/02/2026 – On Tuesday (3), the Military Police carried out a major operation in the Rebu and Cavalo de Aço communities of Senador Camará as part of the “Barricada Zero” initiative. The action, involving the 14th BPM and Shock Police, led to the arrest of one man and the seizure of a rifle, ammunition, and a radio transmitter. Officers also had to remove a large metal barrier that gang members had recently rebuilt after it was destroyed in a previous operation in January. The conflict forced four intercity bus lines to detour and led to the closure of three local health clinics due to safety concerns.
03/02/2026 – On Tuesday (3), José Gomes da Rocha Neto, a security guard for the crime boss Adilsinho, was arrested for planning the 2025 murder of a Civil Police officer in Niterói. Known as “Kiko,” he has a long history as a hitman, including the 2021 execution of a businessman in Maranhão and ties to various militias. He remained active in organized crime for over a decade before his capture in Ilha do Governador.
04/02/2026 – On Wednesday (4), Civil Police arrested a high-ranking member of a criminal group specializing in the robbery of app-based drivers and motorcyclists in West Zone. The suspect, caught in Realengo after fleeing a previous operation, was part of a structured network linked to the “Terceiro Comando Puro” (TCP) faction. This group focused on cloning stolen vehicles or dismantling them for illegal part sales. The arrest, conducted under “Operation Torniquete,” resulted in the recovery of a high-value vehicle and aims to curb the funding of organized crime in the region.
04/02/2026 – On Wednesday (4), health agent Amanda Loureiro da Silva Mendes was shot and killed by her ex-partner while arriving for work on Rua Clarimundo de Melo, in Quintino, North Zone. Despite having a protective order against him, the victim was ambushed by the suspect, who confessed to the crime after being arrested in Madureira. The attacker, who had a prior criminal record for homicide and domestic violence, reportedly murdered the mother of his two children because he refused to accept their separation.
04/02/2026 – On Wednesday (4), a woman held in private confinement was rescued from an apartment on Rua Sá Ferreira, in Copacabana. The rescue was made possible after the victim managed to send a coded message to her family in Paraná, who alerted local authorities to coordinate with Rio’s Civil Police. A 30-year-old man was arrested at the scene, ending a successful inter-state operation between Rio and Paraná law enforcement to secure the victim’s safety.
04/02/2026 – On Wednesday (4), military police in Recreio dos Bandeirantes apprehended a 17-year-old suspect in the December 2024 killing of a tourist from São Paulo. The victim, Diely da Silva Maia, was shot when her rideshare driver accidentally entered the Fontela community in Vargem Pequena. Despite his age, the teenager already has over 10 police records for homicide and drug trafficking; he was caught with a pistol and a motorcycle during a targeted anti-trafficking operation.
04/02/2026 – On Wednesday (4), a 60-year-old woman was found stabbed to death inside her home in the Vila Aliança community of Bangu, West Rio. Residents described her as a well-known beverage seller and suggested the crime might be linked to debt-related retaliation, though police are still verifying this motive.
05/02/2026 – On Thursday (5), Rio police conducted an operation in Morro do Salgueiro, Tijuca, North Zone, against a hit squad linked to the cigarette mafia led by Adilson Adilsinho Coutinho Filho. The fugitive crime boss is accused of ordering the 2022 murder of Fabrício Oliveira, who was mistakenly targeted after lending trucks to a rival smuggler. While a military police officer surrendered and another suspect was jailed, Adilsinho remains at large with four active warrants for homicide and organized crime.
05/02/2026 – On Thursday (5), a military police officer from the 22nd BPM (Maré) was arrested at his unit for robbery, rape, and extortion committed in Maricá. Investigators stated that after attempting to collect an 800 BRL debt, the officer raped the victim and stole items from her residence. The suspect, who reportedly has a history of militia involvement, is now in custody while authorities search for an at-large accomplice and proceed with disciplinary measures.
05/02/2026 – On Thursday (5), a truck driver was shot during an attempted robbery on Avenida Brasil in the Ramos neighborhood of North Rio. Despite his injuries, the driver managed to travel over 10 km to the state supply center (Ceasa) in Irajá, where he eventually crashed into a tree and another vehicle. The assailants fled without stealing the cargo of chocolate, and the victim was transported to Getúlio Vargas State Hospital; his current condition has not been released.
05/02/2026 – On Thursday (5), a 46-year-old man was shot and killed at a crowded bar in Padre Miguel, West Rio. Security footage captured the shooter talking to a woman at the victim’s table before firing, despite her attempts to intervene. Military police arrested the suspect at the scene and seized his pistol. Although the victim was rushed to the Hospital, he did not survive.
06/02/2026 – On Friday (6), the “Intocáveis III” operation led by Draco and the Rio de Janeiro Public Prosecutor’s Office resulted in the arrest of six suspects targeting the financial core of the Rio das Pedras militia. Those detained were allegedly responsible for money laundering, extortion, and illegal land exploitation through front companies to sustain the group’s activities. This raid specifically focused on dismantling the economic infrastructure and leadership branches that facilitate the militia’s territorial control across the city’s West Zone.
