Rio de Janeiro, May 20 (IANS) At least 11 people have been killed in a shooting at a bar in Brazil’s Para state, police said.

The shooting took place on Sunday in the city of Belem when seven gunmen arrived at the bar and began shooting, Xinhua news agency reported.

They killed six women, among them the bar’s owner, and five men, according to the Military Police.

One person was injured and taken to the hospital.

An investigation into the shooting was opened by the Civil Police’s Homicide Division, but the motive behind the shooting is still unknown. </s> Eleven people were killed in a massacre at a bar in northern Brazil, according to media reports. Seven hooded gunmen arrived at Wanda’s Bar in Belem in three cars and a motorcycle, and opened fire—killing six women and five men. Police told the O Liberal newspaper that the bar was a drug front and that several victims had drugs on them. Brazil, which had 64,000 murders last year, is wracked by gang violence, and troops were sent to Belem this spring to keep the peace. </s> A group of gunmen opened fire at a bar in Brazil's northern Pará state, killing 11 people and injuring one other, local media reported.

State officials confirmed that there had been a "massacre" in the region without providing further details, Associated Press reported. The motive of the crime remains unclear.

Brazilian news site G1 said the attack occurred on Sunday in the Guamá neighborhood of Belém at around 4 p.m. local time. According to the report, a group of seven gunmen arrived at the bar and began shooting, killing 11 people and injuring one.

In March, authorities sent 200 federal agents to reinforce Belém and other neighborhoods in the state which were subject to high crime rates. The officers were expected to stay for a period of 90 days or longer. </s> Gunmen killed at least 11 people in a bar in northern Brazil on Sunday, officials said.

The shooting took place in the city of Belem, the public safety department of northern Para state said.

There was no immediate word on the motive of the shooting.

The attackers fled but the news website G1 quoted police as saying one was wounded and is in police custody.

The fatalities are six women and five men, G1 said.

Seven men carried out the shooting after arriving on a motorcyle and in three cars, said G1. They fled after the attack.

The bar where the shooting took place is in a neighborhood which got police reinforcements in March to fight crime.

Get the latest election news, live updates and election schedule for Lok Sabha Elections 2019 on ndtv.com/elections. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter and Instagram for updates from each of the 543 parliamentary seats for the 2019 Indian general elections. Election results will be out on May 23. </s> A gang of gunmen reportedly attacked a bar in the capital of Brazil’s northern Pará state Sunday afternoon, and authorities said 11 people were killed.

The state security agency confirmed that only six women and five men died in the incident in the Guamá neighborhood of the Pará state capital, Belém.

The G1 news website said police reported that seven gunmen were involved in the attack, which also wounded one person. The news outlet said the attackers arrived at the bar on one motorcycle and in three cars.

In late March, the federal government sent National Guard troops to Belém to reinforce security in the city for 90 days. </s> • 11 people have died and one other is injured in Brazil’s northern Pará state after gunmen opened fire on a bar, local media reports.
• State officials referred to the attack as a “massacre” without providing further details.
• The attack reportedly occurred on Sunday in Belém at around 4 p.m. local time. The motive remains unclear.

A group of gunmen opened fire at a bar in Brazil’s northern Pará state, killing 11 people and injuring one other, local media reported.

State officials confirmed that there had been a “massacre” in the region without providing further details, Associated Press reported. The motive of the crime remains unclear.

Brazilian news site G1 said the attack occurred on Sunday in the Guamá neighborhood of Belém at around 4 p.m. local time. According to the report, a group of seven gunmen arrived at the bar and began shooting, killing 11 people and injuring one.

In March, authorities sent 200 federal agents to reinforce Belém and other neighborhoods in the state which were subject to high crime rates. The officers were expected to stay for a period of 90 days or longer. </s> Brazilian authorities say there has been a “massacre” in the country’s northern Para state without releasing any details, while Brazilian news media say gunmen attacked a bar in Belem City and killed 11 people.

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The G1 news website says police reported that seven gunmen opened fire on a bar. G1 says police also report one wounded in the attack.

A Para state spokeswoman, Natalia Mello, says she can only “confirm” there was a massacre in the state. </s> Eleven people have been killed after gunmen reportedly attacked a bar in the capital of Brazil’s northern Para state.

The state security agency confirmed that six women and five men died in the incident in the Guamá area of Para’s state capital, Belém.

The G1 news website said police claimed seven gunmen were involved in the attack, which left one other person wounded.

In late March, the federal government sent National Guard troops to Belém to reinforce security in the city for 90 days.

Brazil hit a record high of 64,000 homicides in 2017, 70 per cent of which were due to firearms, according to official statistics.

Much of Brazil’s violence is gang-related. In January, gang attacks brought the city of Fortaleza to a standstill with commerce, buses and taxis shut down.

Fogo Cruzado, a group that monitors shootings in the Rio de Janeiro metropolitan area, said there were 2,300 shootings in Rio and its suburbs during the first 100 days of this year.

Killings attributed to police gunfire in Rio de Janeiro state have reached a record high, rising 18 per cent in the first three months – a spike partly attributed to a campaign of a zero tolerance for criminals being pushed by state leaders.

One of new president Jair Bolsonaro’s main campaign promises was that he would loosen Brazil’s strict gun laws, arguing that because criminals are well-armed with illegally obtained guns, “upstanding citizens” should have the right to defend themselves with legally bought weapons.

Mr Bolsonaro has made good on that promise with two presidential decrees to make buying guns easier, though federal prosecutors are hoping to block this move through the courts. –AP </s> A group of gunmen have killed 11 people in a bar in Brazil, according to media reports, with state officials confirming only at “a massacre” had occurred.

The G1 news website reported police reported that seven gunmen were involved in the attack in Belém city in the northern state of Pará, which also wounded one person, who is now in police protection.

The news outlet said the attackers arrived at the bar in three cars and one motorcycle before killing six women and five men on Sunday afternoon.

Almost all the victims had been shot in the head, G1 reported the secretary of public security in Pará, Ualame Machado, as saying.

“Of course we have some lines of investigation, which are confidential, but all of them will be analysed very carefully, very strictly,” Machado told a news conference on Sunday. As of Sunday afternoon, a motive remained unclear and no one had been arrested.

A Pará state spokeswoman, Natalia Mello, said only: “A massacre is confirmed.” State communications officials stopped answering phone calls. Military and civil police in Pará state also did not answer phone calls or respond to emails.

In late March, the federal government sent National Guard troops to Belém to reinforce security in the city for 90 days.

Brazil hit a record high of 64,000 homicides in 2017, 70% of which were due to firearms, according to official statistics.

Much of Brazil’s violence is gang related. In January, gangs attacked across Fortaleza, bringing that city to a standstill as commerce, buses and taxis shut down. Rio de Janeiro experiences daily shootouts between rival gangs, and also with police, that often kill bystanders.

One of new President Jair Bolsonaro’s main campaign promises was that he would loosen Brazil’s strict gun laws, arguing that because criminals were well-armed with illegally obtained guns, “upstanding citizens” should have the right to defend themselves. Bolsonaro has made good on that campaign promise with two presidential decrees that make buying guns easier, though federal prosecutors are seeking to get the courts to block that move.
Several gunmen open fire inside a bar in Belém, Brazil, killing at least eleven people.