[The Independent] City of Blumenau rocked by horror attack which also left children aged two and under in hospital
A man “scaled the walls” of a nursery with a hatchet and killed at least four children and injured at least four others in southern Brazil, authorities have said.
Police said a 25-year-old man had been arrested over the attack in the city of Blumenau, Santa Catarina, while Hospital Santo Antonio said four children aged zero to two were under medical care there after the attack.
Firefighters said that around 40 children had been inside the creche at the time of the attack. They added that the assailant had jumped over a wall in order to gain entrance to the building and had apparently targeted staff and children at random.
Images broadcast on television showed weeping parents outside the private daycare center, named Cantinho do Bom Pastor.
Não há dor maior que a de uma família que perde seus filhos ou netos, ainda mais em um ato de violência contra crianças inocentes e indefesas. Meus sentimentos e preces para as famílias das vítimas e comunidade de Blumenau diante da monstruosidade ocorrida na creche Bom Pastor.
— Lula (@LulaOficial) April 5, 2023
President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva called the attack a “monstrosity” and shared his condolences on Twitter, writing: “There is no greater pain than that of a family that loses its children or grandchildren, even more so in an act of violence against innocent and defenceless children.”
School attacks in Brazil had been uncommon, but have begun happening with greater frequency in recent years. Last week, a student in Sao Paulo stabbed a teacher, killing her, and also wounded several others in Sao Paulo.
In 2021, an 18-year-old man killed two staff members and three toddlers in a creche in Saudades, also in Santa Catarina state.
Santa Catarina governor Jorginho Mello said he received news of the attack “with great sadness”. “May God comfort the hearts of all families in this moment of deep pain,” he wrote on Twitter.
Blumenau, a city of 366,000 people, is famous for its annual Oktoberfest festival.
