Authorities in Belo Horizonte have made a significant breakthrough in the investigation into a series of alarming attacks on athletes. The Civil Police have identified one of the suspects responsible for launching fireworks at people exercising along the scenic shoreline of Lagoa da Pampulha.
The suspect was taken to a police station in the Venda Nova district. According to a source close to the investigation, the individual confessed to the crimes during questioning. The attacks, which targeted cyclists and runners, have been classified by police as attempted homicide due to their dangerous nature.
Security camera footage captured one of the assaults, which occurred at 5:39 AM on a recent Saturday. The video shows fireworks being fired from a moving vehicle directly at people on the sidewalk. One victim, videomaker Thales Generoso, narrowly escaped serious injury while riding his bicycle. He described the terrifying moment a car pulled alongside him with a lit firework pointed at his face, leaving him disoriented by the deafening blast.
In another incident, a running group from the neighboring city of Contagem was targeted near the Mirante do Sabiá, also on the Pampulha shoreline. The group of 35 runners was suddenly ambushed with fireworks launched from a car. One runner suffered a graze wound from the projectiles. The group's leader, Professor Flávio Lopes, described the chaos that ensued as people scattered in panic.
Lopes expressed his belief that the attacks were premeditated, noting their repetitive pattern suggested the perpetrator deliberately set out with the intent to frighten or harm people. The investigation is ongoing as police work to identify any additional suspects involved in these coordinated assaults on the public.
Based on reporting from g1.