At least 30 people were killed last night in Rio de Janeiro suburbs by gunmen that the state security chief said might be rogue military police.
Sixteen people, including men, women and children, were gunned down in the Nova Iguacu suburb. Another 12 were killed in the town of Queimados, and two more victims were killing trying to flee to a highway nearby.
Witnesses said the gunmen pulled up and opened fire, leaving victims no time to escape.
Rio's public security secretary said today he suspected military police were involved in the massacre as an act of retaliation for the recent arrest of eight officers suspected of involvement in a separate killing.
International human rights groups have long criticised the behavior of Rio's police forces, saying they have a record of summary executions. The city is plagued by violent crime, with rival drugs gangs controlling many slum areas, known as favelas, and defying the authorities.
This was one of the worst massacres in over a decade in Brazil. In 1993, 21 people were massacred in Vigario Geral by a death squad made up of military police.