Four men were killed in a massacre on Tuesday night (06/05) in the Barra do Ceará neighborhood of Fortaleza. One of the victims was a 16-year-old. They were executed while on a soccer field, in the same area where two sisters were murdered during a shooting attack the previous Thursday (01/05). Barra do Ceará, known as the oldest neighborhood in Fortaleza with 420 years of history, has increasingly become a hotspot for recurring armed violence.
This Content Is Only For Subscribers
To unlock this content, subscribe to INTERLIRA Reports.
Recent Attack
During the attack that killed the four men, several other people were shot but survived. Police arrested three suspects and apprehended a teenager. The motives behind the crime and the exact number of perpetrators remain unclear. The victims were identified as Carlos Johnson Viana Ferreira, 31; Estefany da Silva Ribeiro, 34; Evandro Igor da Silva Dias, 26; and Pedro Henrique da Silva Borges, 16.
Scene of Violence
Located at the mouth of the Ceará River, Barra do Ceará is a culturally and historically rich neighborhood that has seen a surge in violent incidents, including homicides and shootings. The recent escalation began on 1 May with the murders of sisters Bianca and Maria Beatriz, both digital influencers, who were attacked by assailants arriving by jet ski and motorboat. In the aftermath, unrest spread across the surrounding region known as Grande Pirambu—comprising Barra do Ceará, Quatro Varas, Pirambu, and Cristo Redentor—leading to protests, barricades, vandalized buses, and school closures.
Police Investigation
Military police pursued and arrested the suspects involved in the soccer field massacre. The three adults taken into custody are aged 18, 19, and 22, while the minor is 15. Authorities seized firearms and ammunition. All three adults have prior criminal records, including charges of attempted murder, robbery, drug trafficking, and possession of stolen property.
Analysis:
The recent massacre in Fortaleza’s Barra do Ceará neighborhood reveals the deepening crisis of urban violence in historically neglected areas. This region, despite its cultural and historical significance, has become a battleground for criminal groups, with repeated armed attacks, such as the execution of four individuals on a soccer field and the murder of two sisters days earlier. These acts suggest the possible presence of territorial disputes between factions or retaliatory violence, often driven by drug trafficking dynamics and a lack of consistent state presence.
Open sources claim that the attack was motivated by the girls’ proximity to members of the local Red Command (CV). They would have been killed by members of a rival gang.
