At least nine people were trampled to death and seven more were injured in Paraisópolis, a neighbourhood in southern Sao Paolo, during a funk ball, Reuters reported on Sunday.
Military police were reportedly conducting a special operation in the neighborhood when they were attacked by an armed duo.
According to the authorities, the dance party, where the gunmen arrived followed by the police, hosted about 5,000 participants.
#SP: Imagens mostram a confusão na comunidade de Paraisópolis, na Zona Sul de São Paulo, que deixou nove mortos na madrugada deste domingo. Pelo menos 7 pessoas ficaram feridas. pic.twitter.com/wNL552Gvxb
— Rádio BandNews FM (@radiobandnewsfm) December 1, 2019
Witnesses at the ball said they were injured as the police have supposedly used chemical munitions and rubber bullets.
#Paraisópolis pic.twitter.com/f5uB31HVEW
— André Caramante (@andrecaramante) December 1, 2019
#Brazil: At least nine people were trampled to death following military police action at a funk ball in #SaoPaulo.
— ubique (@PersonalEscrito) December 1, 2019
Via @andrecaramante pic.twitter.com/c9ULGDNmM5
NESTE VÍDEO VEMOS NITIDAMENTE a POLICIA ESPANCANDO com chutes e pisões uma pessoa que está no chão, enquanto vários outros policiais monitoram a região. #PARAISÓPOLIS #BaileFunk pic.twitter.com/Sz0a4zoZ15
— Santiago, Raull. (@raullsantiago) December 1, 2019
The city authorities say an investigation has been opened to determine if the officers' actions were appropriate.
Paraisópolis is the second-largest neighbourhood in Sao Paulo, with 100,000 residents.
