Santiago Andrade, a camera operator for the television network Bandeirantes, was filming a confrontation in Rio de Janeiro between police officers and demonstrators protesting a public transportation fare hike when a flare hit him in the head. He underwent surgery at a local hospital and was in a coma for four days before being declared brain dead.
Initial reports conflicted as to who was responsible for the attack, but authorities released video footage that appeared to show protesters launching the device.
On February 8, 2014, Fábio Raposo Barbosa told authorities that he had given the explosive device to another protester but had not ignited it himself, according to news reports. Two days later, authorities said they identified the protester believed responsible for shooting the device.
On February 12, the suspect, Caio Silva de Souza, was arrested/taken into custody. Souza said he did not realize at the time that the flare was an explosive device. Barbosa and Souza were placed in preventive detention and charged with homicide.
In June 2023, the trial of the two defendants was set for December on charges of aggravated homicide and using explosives. The pair remained free under precautionary measures, including wearing monitored ankle bracelets.
On December 13, the Rio de Janeiro Regional Court acquitted Barbosa and sentenced Souza to 12 years in prison. The court rejected the prosecution’s appeal and confirmed Barbosa’s acquittal on July 17, 2024.
The court also accepted Souza’s defense appeal and reduced his sentence from 12 to 4 ½ years on charges of bodily harm which caused death; he is currently serving his sentence under house arrest, with the exception of work.