A heart-wrenching incident unfolded in southern Brazil on Monday, June 19, 2023, as a former student opened fire within the walls of Professora Helena Kolody state school in Cambé, Paraná. The attack claimed the life of a 15-year-old girl and left a 14-year-old student critically injured. The assailant, reported to be in his early twenties, entered the school under the guise of retrieving documents, according to city spokesperson Thiago Mossini. Once inside, he unleashed a barrage of bullets, firing over a dozen shots before being apprehended by a courageous school employee. Authorities swiftly took the shooter into custody.
The wounded 14-year-old was rushed to a hospital and remains in critical condition. The scene outside the school was filled with anguish as students gathered, many in tears, while an ambulance arrived to transport the victims. This devastating event adds to a growing list of school attacks and violent incidents that have plagued Brazil since 2000, with a concerning surge in the past fourteen months. In April 2023, a horrific attack at a daycare center claimed the lives of four children, leading the government to implement a nationwide crackdown on hate speech and online content inciting violence in schools.
Following the tragic incident, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva expressed his grief and condemnation on Twitter, lamenting the loss of another young life to the pervasive hatred and violence plaguing schools and society. The incident underscores the urgent need for effective measures to address school safety and prevent future tragedies.
