CAMPO GRANDE, Brazil - A 16-year-old former student opened fire at a public school in the city of Campo Grande on Wednesday morning, killing two staff members and wounding several others before being taken into custody, authorities said.
The shooting occurred at the Professor Joaquim Murtinho State School in the Vila Carvalho neighborhood around 8:00 AM local time, shortly after classes began. The assailant, whose name has been withheld due to his age, arrived at the school armed with a pistol and what police described as a "makeshift melee weapon."
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THE VICTIMS
The two deceased have been identified as:
Camila da Silva, 38: A school administrator and mother of two. She was shot while attempting to shield students in the main hallway.
Carlos Eduardo Mendes, 52: A security guard and retired military police officer. Mendes engaged the shooter before being fatally wounded, an act that officials say prevented further casualties.
A 42-year-old mathematics teacher remains hospitalized in stable condition after being struck in the shoulder. Two students, aged 14 and 15, were treated for minor injuries including cuts and bruises sustained while fleeing the scene.
THE SUSPECT
The 16-year-old suspect was a student at the school until his transfer in late 2025. Police officials stated his motivation remains under investigation but confirmed that a journal was recovered from his backpack containing references to other school shootings and expressed hatred toward school staff.
"We are investigating the suspect's social media activity and personal writings to determine whether this was an isolated act of violence or if others were involved in planning," said Civil Police delegate Marcelo Rodrigues da Silva in a press conference.
The suspect surrendered without resistance when military police arrived on the scene. He has been taken to a juvenile detention facility in Campo Grande, the capital of Mato Grosso do Sul state.
PRESIDENT'S RESPONSE
President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva expressed his condolences on social media, writing: "It is unbearable to see another school invaded by violence. My prayers are with the families of Camila and Carlos, and with all the students and teachers traumatized by this cowardly act. We must strengthen our schools as sanctuaries of peace."
Governor of Mato Grosso do Sul, Eduardo Riedel, declared three days of official mourning and ordered state flags to fly at half-mast.
A PATTERN OF SCHOOL VIOLENCE
Wednesday's shooting adds to a troubling pattern in Brazil, where school attacks have become more frequent over the past decade. In November 2025, a student in São Paulo stabbed two classmates. A mass shooting at a school in Aracruz, Espírito Santo, in November 2022 left four dead. The deadliest school shooting in Brazilian history occurred in Realengo, Rio de Janeiro, in 2011, when a former student killed 12 children.
Educational psychologist Dr. Ana Beatriz Barbosa noted that while Brazil has stricter gun laws than the United States, the proliferation of firearms in the broader society continues to pose risks.
"We are seeing radicalization among isolated teenagers occurring in digital spaces," Barbosa told Globo News. "The weapon in this case appears to have been obtained from a relative before being reported stolen."
SECURITY MEASURES REVIEWED
In response to the attack, the Mato Grosso do Sul State Secretariat of Education announced that all 348 schools in the regional network will receive an immediate security review. Metal detectors and additional security personnel have been requested for state funding.
The Federal Ministry of Education has deployed a crisis team to Campo Grande to provide psychological support to students and staff.
A COMMUNITY IN MOURNING
Outside the school on Wednesday afternoon, grieving parents and students gathered in silent vigil. A white balloon release is planned for Thursday morning at Praça das Araras.
"He didn't want to go to school today. He said he was tired," said Adriana Souza, a mother of a 13-year-old student. "Now I know he was tired of being scared."
Neither the White House nor the Brazilian Embassy in Washington has commented on the incident. The suspect's identity remains sealed pending juvenile court proceedings, which are expected to begin next week in private.
