Police identify four suspects in connection with gang rape in Rio.
The Civil Police have identified four men suspected of participating in the rape of a 16-year-old girl last weekend in the São José Operário slum in Jacarepaguá, in the western zone of Rio de Janeiro. According to the girl's statement to the police, she was allegedly raped by 33 men in the house. In her testimony, the teenager said she went to visit her boyfriend at a house at the top of the community that was used by men linked to drug trafficking in the region. Images posted by the alleged aggressors on Twitter generated outrage, showing the unconscious girl with her genitals exposed.
Douglas Corrêa – Reporter for Agência Brasil
The Civil Police have identified four men suspected of participating in the rape of a 16-year-old girl last weekend in the São José Operário slum in Jacarepaguá, in the western part of Rio de Janeiro. According to the girl's statement to the police, she was allegedly raped by 33 men in the house.
In her statement to the police, the teenager said she went to visit her boyfriend at a house high up in the community that was used by men linked to drug trafficking in the region. Images posted by the alleged aggressors on Twitter generated outrage, showing the girl unconscious with her genitals exposed. In the video, a man admits: "about 30 guys went through her".
Of the four identified so far, two are suspected of having released the images on social media; one is the young man who had a relationship with the girl; and the fourth identified person appears in the video next to the girl.
The Rio de Janeiro Public Prosecutor's Office (MPRJ), which is monitoring the case through the 23rd Criminal Investigation Prosecutor's Office, reported that the institution's Ombudsman has already received approximately 800 complaints about the criminals and has forwarded the material removed from social media to the crime investigation agencies.
In a statement, the Civil Police informs that the Cybercrime Repression Unit (DRCI) and the Child and Adolescent Victim Unit (DCAV) are working together on the investigation of the crime.
The Operational Sub-Chief and the General Department of Specialized Police (DGPE) have made their units available to assist in the investigation.
Any citizen who has any information that may contribute to the investigation, specifically addresses of suspects or new evidence of the fact, can contact the Civil Police through the Citizen Service Center (CAC) by phone (21) 2334-8823, (21) 2334-8835, by online chat or by calling the Crime Reporting Hotline 2253-1177.
Police delegates Alessandro Thiers and Cristiana Bento, responsible for the investigation, will address the press this Friday at 12:30 pm at the Police Headquarters to present new information about the case.
The victim of the gang rape was taken yesterday morning (26) to the gynecology sector of the Maria Amélia Maternity Hospital, in downtown Rio, where she underwent examinations and received medication to prevent sexually transmitted diseases and AIDS.