Councilor candidate shot dead during political rally in Sao Paulo

A councilor candidate campaigning for Brazil’s municipal elections in October in the city of Guaruja, an important tourist destination on the southern coast of Sao Paulo state, was killed by gunfire from a military-style shotgun while attending a meeting at his political office. Edgar dos Reis, 43, was shot several times at close range and died from his injuries.

Other people who were involved in the meeting with the victim and who were not injured told police that an unknown man got out of a car that had stopped near the candidate’s office on Rua Primeiro de Junho in the Paecara area and invaded the house. premises and shots were fired.

The perpetrator, who was careful not to shoot other participants in the meeting or other people on the premises, ran away after hearing gunshots after the perpetrator returned to the vehicle and fled.

A few hours later, the car was found completely set on fire to eliminate all traces, including possible fingerprints, on Iguape Street in a nearby area. Edgar’s daughter and girlfriend were also at the candidate’s political office; he was taken to the Guaruja hospital, but died on the way.

Municipal elections in Brazil next October were marked by widespread violence in Guaruja, a city frequented by big-money celebrities who own luxurious mansions, but which is also surrounded by large hills and favelas dominated by drug trafficking.

On December 27 last year, another candidate, journalist Tiago Rodriguez, was also killed on the street in Guaruja while attending an end-of-year party.

Thiago, 41, called a man to the door of the room where the event was taking place and said that he had an important message for him. Approaching the unknown, the candidate was riddled with bullets by the killer, who, taking advantage of the panic that arose after the shots, fled on a bicycle.