“Barreiro Monster” claims new victims, population tried to take justice into their own hands

Bruno Costa, nicknamed “Barreiro’s monster”, has claimed two new victims in recent weeks. Authorities believe there are many more who, out of shame or fear, did not report the 35-year-old man, resident in Barreiro.

Bruno Costa’s most recent victims were attacked on the 19th and 26th of February. The first is an employee of an institution where the suspect is doing an internship. Bruno Costa asked to leave early and waited outside for his wife’s departure time, at 5:00 pm. According to the victim’s report, the suspect threw semen at him that he had saved in a clinical analysis tube. He ran away immediately, but apologized.

The second victim is a minor under 17 and it all happened on February 26th. The 17-year-old girl was approached by Bruno Costa, who allegedly threw a green liquid in her face.

Bruno Costa has been detained numerous times and has been released many times. He was even banned from visiting the Barreiro and Moita areas by court decision.

Placed in Alentejo with family members, he ended up attacking his grandmother and a disabled uncle with a stick in the town of Fronteira. After the attack on the 95-year-old woman and her uncle, Bruno Costa was preventively detained, but is now returning home, to the place where for years he committed sexual harassment, threats, coercion and attacks on physical integrity.

Between 2012 and 2024, more than 50 situations related to Bruno Costa were notified to the authorities.

The suspect’s return to Barreiro raised concern and fear among the population. They anticipated new attacks, which meant that on Wednesday a young influencer was filmed in a cafe next to the court denouncing the identity of the suspect. They both ended up involved in attacks. Hours after the videos reached social media, the suspect was attacked again in a commercial area by a group that recognized him.

The population thus tried to take justice into their own hands. Fears that the suspect will continue to attack women in the Barreiro area. The case worries the police, who are attentive and try at all costs to avoid new victims but also to guarantee the physical integrity of the suspect.