Full Breakdown
Teen Shooter Kills Two Staff Members in Acre, Brazil School Shooting
5/6/2026, 12:20:59 PM
Incident Overview
On May 5, 2026, a 13-year-old student entered the public junior-high Instituto São José in Rio Branco, Acre, and fired a .380-calibre pistol. Two female staff members died at the scene; a staff member and an 11-year-old girl were wounded. Police recovered the weapon, detained the shooter, and arrested his stepfather, the gun’s legal owner.
Background: Rising School Violence in Brazil
Brazil has experienced an increase in school attacks: a 2025 Ceará shooting left two teens dead and three wounded; a 2023 São Paulo incident killed one student and injured three; earlier events include a 2022 Ceará shooting (one death) and an April 2026 axe attack in Santa Catarina that killed four children. This pattern underscores insecurity in educational settings.
Key Figures
- Shooter: 13-year-old male student.
- Step-father: Owner of the .380 pistol, detained.
- Governor Mailza Assis: Issued a solidarity statement.
- Lt. Col. Felipe Russo: Military police commander who briefed media.
- Eduardo Rodrigues Cavalcante: 19-year-old hotel receptionist who witnessed the scene.
Official Statements & Responses
Governor Mailza Assis expressed deep solidarity with victims’ families and the school community. The state government conveyed its deepest condolences, announced a three-day class suspension and deployed psychological-support teams for students and staff.
Criticism & Opposition
Grieving mothers have publicly demanded an end to gun violence and stricter controls on firearms accessible to minors, highlighting the need for policy reform.
On-the-Ground Report
Receptionist Eduardo Rodrigues Cavalcante said, “The wall is six metres high, and only one person managed to jump over and take refuge here in the hotel. Others were left on the school roof trying to escape,” and heard “gunshots and a lot of screaming.”
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Victims’ names have not been released, and authorities have not clarified whether other students assisted the shooter.
Verbatim Quotes
- “The state expresses deep solidarity with the victims’ families, the school community of Instituto Sao Jose and all education professionals affected by this incident,” — Mailza Assis, Governor of Acre
- “In the face of this tragedy, the state expresses its deepest condolences to the families of the victims, the school community of the Sao Jose Institute, and all education professionals affected by this event,” — Acre state government spokesperson
- “The wall is six metres high, and only one person managed to jump over and take refuge here in the hotel. The other people were left on the school roof trying to escape,” — Eduardo Rodrigues Cavalcante, receptionist
- “gunshots and a lot of screaming” — Eduardo Rodrigues Cavalcante, receptionist
What’s Next
State investigators will assess the stepfather’s liability and review school security protocols. Classes are set to resume after the three-day suspension while legislators debate stricter gun-control measures.
