The annual report by the Fogo Cruzado Institute presents a critical overview of armed violence in the metropolitan regions of Rio de Janeiro, Recife, Belém, and Salvador. The institute’s monitoring across the Southeast, Northeast, and North regions allows for the identification of common trends and regional particularities in the use of lethal force by the state and conflicts between armed groups in urban centers. In 2024, a total of 6,769 shootings were recorded, leading to 5,936 victims, of whom 4,104 were killed and 1,832 injured. Nearly 29% of all shootings occurred during police operations.
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Rio de Janeiro
With an average of seven shootings per day, Rio de Janeiro recorded 2,532 incidents in 2024. Despite reaching its peak in 2018, with 9,633 reports, this is the lowest number recorded since the institute’s historical series began in 2017. Police operations accounted for 36% of shootings. However, gun violence against children reached a record high, with 26 children aged 0 to 11 shot, surpassing the 25 cases recorded in 2018.
Pernambuco
Gun violence in the Recife metropolitan area decreased by 4%, from 1,827 shootings in 2023 to 1,748 in 2024. However, this remains the second-highest figure in the institute’s records since monitoring began in 2019. Pernambuco also has the highest proportion of shootings resulting in victims (97%). Violence against young people remains alarming, with 735 minors (0-17 years old) shot since 2019. The year 2024 saw a record 147 shootings, leading to 101 deaths.
Bahia
Gun violence in Salvador and its metropolitan area remained stable, with a 0.4% decrease, from 1,804 shootings in 2023 to 1,795 in 2024. On average, the state recorded five shootings per day, with 38% of incidents linked to police actions (an increase from 36.5% in 2023). The number of massacres was significant, with 27 recorded in 2024, leading to 92 civilian deaths. Although there was a decline from 48 massacres and 190 deaths in 2023, police involvement remained high, with 59% of massacres in 2024 occurring during police actions, compared to 69% in 2023.
Pará
In Pará, police violence is even more critical. Of the 694 shootings recorded in the Belém metropolitan region, 42% occurred during police operations, the highest rate among the four monitored states. The violence in Pará appears to have specific targets, with a pattern of selective policing intensifying state-led violence.
National Context
The broader national security context exacerbates violence. Between 2017 and 2023, the number of registered civilian firearms increased by 227%, reaching 4.8 million guns in private hands. In parallel, fatal confrontations with security forces led to 51,000 deaths between 2015 and 2024, further highlighting the lethal nature of policing and armed conflicts in Brazil.
Analysis:
The Fogo Cruzado report exposes a troubling reality: armed violence remains one of Brazil’s most pressing challenges, with devastating consequences for children, adolescents, and vulnerable communities. The combination of a strong network of weapons smuggling and a security policy centered on violent confrontation has fueled a cycle of violence rather than curbing it. Police-led operations, responsible for a significant share of shootings, often escalate conflicts instead of dismantling criminal structures. Addressing this crisis requires a strategic shift. Public security policies must be grounded in data-driven decision-making, with clear goals and coordinated actions between government agencies and civil society.
Violence has become the primary concern of Brazilians, surpassing health and education, underscoring the urgency of action. Without a shift towards evidence-based security policies—focused on prevention, control, and efficiency—Brazil risks remaining trapped in a pattern where security efforts perpetuate the very violence they seek to contain.
Sources: Fogo Cruzado.
