Data released this Monday afternoon, May 15, by the São Paulo Security Secretariat show that the drug Mafia PCC (Primeiro Comando da Capital – First Command of the Capital), which maintains the city hostage, has already made 180 attacks since Friday night, May 12, which resulted in 94 deaths.
Among those killed by the gang that used guns, explosives and Molotov cocktails, there were 22 military policemen, 6 civilian policemen, 3 municipal officers, 8 prison guards and 4 civilians, including two wives of policemen.
38 other people were killed when confronting the police and 13 inmates were also killed during prison riots. Almost 300 hostages were being held by rioting prisoners who have taken over
82 jails.
The numbers also list 49 people, most of them policemen, who were hurt during the attacks. They are 19 military and 6 civilian policemen, 8 municipal guards, 1 prison agent and 15 civilians. The police have detained 91 suspects and have seized close to 100 weapons.
The gang has burned down more than 70 buses. In every case, they first stopped the buses and made everybody get out before setting the vehicle on fire. Thirteen bank agencies were also attacked.
The attacks have generated rumors, chaos and terror in South America’s largest city with close to 11 million residents. In the affluent neighborhood of Higienópolis, for example, Mackenzie University and Faap College sent students home after a police car in the area was hit by bullets.
All over downtown stores closed down their doors in the early afternoon fearing attacks. The same happened in the South and West zones of the city. Store owners were letting workers go home.
For many without car the problem was how to get home since 4,000 buses were not circulating for fear of attacks. The rush hour was anticipated a few hours. It was as if the city has decided to go into a curfew.