Police in Belo Horizonte are actively searching for a suspect responsible for a terrifying series of attacks on athletes along the iconic Lagoa da Pampulha waterfront. The incidents, which involved the suspect firing fireworks directly at people, are being investigated as attempted homicide by the Civil Police.
Security camera footage has captured the suspect's method. In one recording from early Saturday morning, a man is seen arriving in a car and launching fireworks from the moving vehicle towards the sidewalk where people were exercising. The attacks have targeted both cyclists and runners using the popular recreational area.
One victim, videomaker Thales Generoso, described a harrowing encounter while he was cycling. He reported that a car pulled alongside him from the opposite direction, and the driver pointed a lit firework directly at his face. The explosion left him disoriented and he narrowly avoided being struck.
In a separate incident, a running group from the neighboring city of Contagem was targeted near the Mirante do Sabiá. The group of 35 runners was suddenly bombarded with fireworks, causing panic as people scattered for safety. One runner sustained a grazing injury from the projectiles.
Professor Flávio Lopes, a member of the running group, expressed his belief that the attacks were premeditated. He noted the repeated nature of the incidents suggests the perpetrator deliberately sets out with the intention of frightening or harming people along the lakefront.
The Lagoa da Pampulha is considered the principal postcard landmark of Belo Horizonte, making these violent attacks on public recreational space particularly alarming for the local community. Investigators are analyzing security footage from homes in the area and gathering witness testimony to identify the suspect.
Based on reporting from g1.