Police kill armed man who took 13 children hostage at Curitiba nursery

On October 9, 2026, a man armed with a knife broke into a nursery school in Curitiba, Brazil, and took 13 children hostage. The assailant threatened to set the municipal child education center on fire before police officers stormed the classroom and killed him.

The incident unfolded during the afternoon at a Centro Municipal de Educación Infantil, located in the São Braz neighborhood in the south of the country. The attacker arrived on a bicycle, jumped the perimeter fence, and locked 13 children—all four and five years old—inside a single classroom. He then distributed a flammable substance across the room and held a lighter while carrying a knife and a replica firearm.

Special Forces Negotiate with Gunman for Three Hours

Law enforcement established a security perimeter around the nursery while members of the Special Police Operations Battalion, known as the BOPE, attempted to negotiate with the armed man. A police helicopter hovered overhead while emergency crews prepared to intervene outside the facility. The negotiations lasted for nearly three hours, during which the suspect kept children surrounding him and held one on his lap.

Commanders from the Paraná Military Police decided to launch a tactical intervention around 18:20 local time. Alexandre Lopes Dias, commander of the special forces for the Military Police, explained the decision in a press conference: When we perceived that the children were cada vez más estresados [increasingly stressed] and that the agresor comenzaba a agredirlos físicamente [aggressor began to physically assault them], optamos por una intervención táctica para evitar un mal mayor [we opted for a tactical intervention to prevent a greater evil]. Officers entered the room, shot and killed the suspect, and rescued all 13 children alive without serious injuries.

Evacuation Of The School And Medical Care For Families

While the hostage situation unfolded, teachers and staff managed to evacuate other children who were in different classrooms. Authorities also evacuated a nearby school and summoned families to the scene. Local television broadcasts showed staff members leading uninjured children away from the facility.

The Curitiba municipal government deployed support teams to assist parents waiting for news outside the cordoned area. Following the rescue, authorities confirmed that the 13 children and their families would receive medical and psychological support. Curitiba Mayor Eduardo Pimentel shared a message on Instagram, writing: ¡Los 13 niños están vivos y a salvo! Después de momentos de mucha tensión y angustia, esa es la noticia que todos esperábamos [The 13 children are alive and safe! After moments of high tension and anguish, that is the news we were all waiting for].

Investigators Identify Attacker Who Suffered from Schizophrenia

Investigators have identified the attacker but have not yet released his identity to the public. Authorities reported that the man suffered from schizophrenia. Police have not established a motive for the attack or determined whether the suspect had any prior relationship with the nursery school, its staff, or the enrolled students.

Brazil has recorded several attacks on schools in recent years, including an April 2023 incident where a man killed four children with an axe at a daycare center in Blumenau, also located in the south of the country. A separate school shooting in Cambé, Paraná, in 2023 resulted in two student deaths. The Curitiba municipality thanked the security forces for their intervention and pledged ongoing support to the affected children, teachers, and families.

Logramos neutralizar a esa persona y rescatar a los 13 niños, que fueron trasladados a los servicios médicos y de bomberos para recibir atención.

Alexandre Lopes Dias