MPF denounces 4 federal highway police officers for the death of a nursing student during an approach on BR-040 | Rio de Janeiro

The Federal Public Ministry (MPF) charged four federal highway police officers with the death of Anne Caroline Nascimento Silva, aged 23. The nursing student was shot during a PRF blitz on Rodovia Washington Luís (BR-040), in June 2023.

The young woman was returning from a restaurant with her husband when she was hit by one of the eight rifle shots fired at the car she was in. She was rescued, but did not survive her injuries.

In the complaint, the MPF asked the preventive detention of the four police officers. They must answer for qualified homicidea crime whose penalty can reach 30 years in prison.

They are also accused of committing procedural fraud, attempted murder and serious bodily injury in the form of negligence, as one of the shots hit a Corsa Max that was also traveling along Washington Luiz, injuring day laborer Claudia Maria da Silva dos Santos. She was rescued, underwent surgery and had to stay away from work.

The MPF maintains that, by shooting at the vehicle, the police assumed the risk of killing.

In testimony, Alexandre Mello, Anne Caroline’s husband, said that the vehicle with 4 police officers, which had its headlights off, approached the Jeep Renegade he was driving and started chasing it. Shortly afterwards, the police turned on the siren and, without there being time to order a stop or any other form of appropriate police approach, fired eight rifle shots.

Seven shots hit the Jeep Renegade, and one of them injured Anne Caroline. Alexandre stopped the car and got out with his hands raised.

At the time, the PRF released a note in which it spoke of “tactical monitoring of a fleeing suspicious vehicle”, but did not explain whether the corporation was referring to Alexandre and Anne Caroline’s car.

Upon realizing that Anne Caroline was injured, one of the police officers took the wheel of the Jeep and drove to the Hospital Estadual Getúlio Vargas, Penha, in the North Zone. The police car followed behind.

Alexandre also said that he was summoned by the police, while his wife was being attended to. The student was admitted to the hospital at 10:45 pm and died at 2:50 am.

The “facts subject to this investigation are extremely serious, having been committed not only with violence and serious threats, but in the context of abuse of police activity”, explains Public Prosecutor Eduardo Benones.

For prosecutors, the murder by Anne Caroline is qualified because the victim had no chance of defense, as the shots were fired at the rear of the vehicle.

Prosecutors maintain that the four police officers who were in the car must be held responsible for the crime, although only one fired the shots. Furthermore, testimonies reveal that the police officer who shot was instigated by his colleagues to shoot.

“Firing eight rifle shots into the back of a moving vehicle, which was evidently being driven by someone, is an undeniable attack on life,” explains the prosecutor.

The police officers were also charged with serious bodily injury for having injured day laborer Cláudia dos Santos. The penalty can be increased by a third if the agent does not seek to reduce the consequences of his act.

“Throughout the investigations, no evidence was found that the accused had taken any action to minimize the consequences of the bodily injuries suffered by Claudia dos Santos”, explains the prosecutor.

The prosecutor also mentions that the police violated their duty to isolate the scene of the crime and preserve the traces, which constitutes procedural fraud.

The MPF also requests compensation to repair the moral and material damages caused to Alexandre and Cláudia, in the amounts of R$1.5 million and R$1 million, respectively.