Suspect killed after 13 kindergarteners taken hostage, beaten in Brazil | Crime News
Thirteen Children Rescued from Hostage Situation in Curitiba, Brazil
Published on October 10, 2026
Brazilian police have successfully rescued 13 children taken hostage at a kindergarten in Curitiba, a city in southern Brazil. The incident concluded tragically when authorities killed the suspect, who had threatened to set fire to the building.
At least one child sustained injuries during the Friday standoff, although officials have not disclosed specific details regarding the nature of those injuries. Alexandre Lopes Dias, commander of the military police special forces in Parana state, confirmed the rescue and the injury to the child during a press briefing.
According to Parana police spokesperson Leticia Martins, the suspect entered the kindergarten by jumping over a school gate. He subsequently barricaded himself in a classroom with the children, where he spread a flammable liquid and brandished a lighter, along with a knife and what initially appeared to be a firearm, later identified as a replica.
“Our negotiating teams were in place but saw no alternative but to neutralize him,” Martins stated, noting that the suspect did not provide a clear motive for his actions.
The incident unfolded in the Sao Braz neighborhood of Curitiba, which has a population of approximately 1.8 million residents, located 400 kilometers (250 miles) south of Sao Paulo. Lopes Dias identified the suspect as a man suffering from schizophrenia but withheld his identity and further details regarding how the situation was resolved.
During the negotiation process, which lasted nearly three hours, the suspect reportedly began physically assaulting the children as they became increasingly agitated. “Once we realized that the kids were becoming upset and that the attacker started assaulting them physically, we opted for a tactical intervention to avoid a greater problem,” Lopes Dias explained.
Local media captured scenes of tearful parents gathered outside the school, anxiously awaiting updates as the situation developed. Following what reports described as the detonation of flashbangs, police emerged carrying some of the children to safety.
Lopes Dias emphasized the tactical approach adopted by police, ensuring minimal risk to the children. Following the incident, Curitiba Mayor Eduardo Pimentel expressed relief on social media, stating, “The 13 children are alive and safe! After anguishing and tense moments, this is the news we were all waiting for.”
In recent years, Brazil has witnessed a series of attacks on educational institutions. Notably, an April 2023 incident in Blumenau resulted in the deaths of four children at a daycare when a man attacked them with an axe.
Curitiba officials have announced that the children and school staff will receive psychological support following this traumatic event.
