Rio family buries girl killed by stray bullet; police blamed
Posted September 22, 2019 7:00 am
RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) - An 8-year-old girl who was killed by a stray bullet in a Rio de Janeiro shantytown was buried on Sunday amid allegations that she was hit by police fire.
Several hundred people attended the funeral of Ãgatha Sales Félix, who died Friday after she was shot in the back while riding in a van in the Complexo do Alemao slum.
Some mourners carried a large banner that said "Stop killing us," a reference to growing concern about the increasing use of lethal force by Brazilian police. Authorities defend their hardline tactics, saying they have contributed to a reduction in violent crime.
Residents and Félix's family blame local police for her death, saying they only heard a single shot when she was hit.
Police officers, however, say they were attacked from various directions and were responding to gunfire. They have not said whether a police bullet killed Félix.
An investigation is underway. State officials said Sunday the girl's parents, as well as the van driver and other witnesses, have testified, while police officers will testify on Monday.
There are no reports of other casualties in the incident.
Gov. Wilson Witzel of Rio de Janeiro state campaigned for office on promises to fight drug trafficking and corruption. In early January, days after taking office, he said police officers had been authorized to shoot and kill criminals armed with rifles.
Helicopters manned by police snipers also frequently fly over slums.
Police killed 1,075 people in the first seven months of this year in Rio state, which has a population of 17.2 million people, official figures show.
A man shouts at nearby police as he blames the police department for the murder of 8-year-old Ãgatha Sales Felix, after her wake, and between the funeral home and the cemetery where she will be buried in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2019. Félix was hit by a stray bullet Friday amid what police said was a shootout with suspected criminals. However, residents say there was no shootout, and blame police. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo)
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A protester shouts for justice during a gathering in memory of the late 8-year-old Ãgatha Sales Félix in the Alemao complex slum of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2019. Félix was hit by a stray bullet Friday amid what police said was a shootout with suspected criminals. However, residents say there was no shootout, and blame police.
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Vanessa Francisco Sales holds the doll of her 8-year-old daughter Ãgatha Sales Felix during her daughter's burial at the cemetery in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2019. Félix was hit by a stray bullet Friday amid what police said was a shootout with suspected criminals. However, residents say there was no shootout, and blame police. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo)
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The grandfather of 8-year-old Ãgatha Sales Felix holds her doll as she's buried at the cemetery in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2019. Félix was hit by a stray bullet Friday amid what police said was a shootout with suspected criminals. However, residents say there was no shootout, and blame police. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo)
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An uncle of the late 8-year-old Ãgatha Sales Felix, second from right, shouts and cries during her burial at the cemetery in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2019. Félix was hit by a stray bullet Friday amid what police said was shootout with suspected criminals. However, residents say there was no shootout, and blame police. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo)
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The uncle of the late 8-year-old Ãgatha Sales Felix cries during her burial at the cemetery in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2019. Félix was hit by a stray bullet Friday amid what police said was shootout with suspected criminals. However, residents say there was no shootout, and blame police. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo)
The Associated Press
Relatives and friends of the late 8-year-old Ãgatha Sales Felix attend her burial at a cemetery in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2019. Félix was hit by a stray bullet Friday amid what police said was shootout with suspected criminals. However, residents say there was no shootout, and blame police. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo)
The Associated Press
Relatives and friends applaud in honor of the late 8-year-old Ãgatha Sales Felix, who was hit by a a stray bullet, as they bury her at the cemetery in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2019. Félix was hit by a stray bullet Friday amid what police said was shootout with suspected criminals. However, residents say there was no shootout, and blame police. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo)
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The grandmother of the late 8-year-old Ãgatha Sales Felix cries during her granddaughter's burial at the cemetery in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2019. Félix was hit by a stray bullet Friday amid what police said was shootout with suspected criminals. However, residents say there was no shootout, and blame police. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo)
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Vanessa Francisco Sales, carrying a doll that belonged to her 8-year-old daughter Ãgatha Sales Felix, holds the hand of her husband Adegilson Felix, second from left, as they walk in their daughter's funeral procession to the cemetery in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2019. Félix was hit by a stray bullet Friday amid what police said was shootout with suspected criminals. However, residents say there was no shootout, and blame police. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo)
The Associated Press
People carry the coffin of 8-year-old Ãgatha Sales Felix, who was hit by a a stray bullet, at a cemetery in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2019. Félix was hit by a stray bullet Friday amid what police said was shootout with suspected criminals. However, residents say there was no shootout, and blame police. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo)
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People hold up yellow balloons during a gathering in memory of the late 8-year-old Ãgatha Sales Félix, whose photo of her clutching a yellow balloon is circulating online, as residents demand an end to the violence in the Alemao complex slum of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2019. Félix was hit by a stray bullet Friday amid what police said was shootout with suspected criminals. However, residents say there was no shootout, and blame police. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo)
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Youths attend a protest and gathering in memory of the late 8-year-old Ãgatha Sales Félix, whose photo of her clutching a yellow balloon is circulating online, as residents demand an end to the violence in the Alemao complex slum of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2019. Félix was hit by a stray bullet Friday amid what police said was shootout with suspected criminals. However, residents say there was no shootout, and blame police. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo)
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A woman cries during a protest and gathering in memory of the late 8-year-old Ãgatha Sales Félix, whose photo of her clutching a yellow balloon is circulating online, as residents demand an end to the violence in the Alemao complex slum of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2019. Félix was hit by a stray bullet Friday amid what police said was shootout with suspected criminals. However, residents say there was no shootout, and blame police. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo)
The Associated Press
Protesters with yellow balloons carry a banner that reads in Portuguese: "Stop killing us" during a gathering in memory of the late 8-year-old Ãgatha Sales Félix, whose photo of her clutching a yellow balloon is circulating online, as people demand an end to the violence in the Alemao complex slum of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2019. Félix was hit by a stray bullet Friday amid what police said was shootout with suspected criminals. However, residents say there was no shootout, and blame police. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo)
The Associated Press
A protester attends a gathering in memory of the late 8-year-old Ãgatha Sales Félix, whose photo of her clutching a yellow balloon is circulating online, as people demand an end to the violence in the Alemao complex slum of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2019. Félix was hit by a stray bullet Friday amid what police said was shootout with suspected criminals. However, residents say there was no shootout, and blame police. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo)
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