Sandro Rosa do Nascimento
Encyclopedia
Sandro Rosa do Nascimento (July 7, 1978 - June 12, 2000) was the perpetrator of the Bus 174 hostage crisis in Jardim Botânico, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
. Nascimento boarded a public bus, intending to rob the passengers. However, the incident developed into a hostage situation, which was broadcast live by most Brazilian national television channels.
At one point, Nascimento resided in the area of Candelaria
, a historical church in Rio de Janeiro, where he witnessed the Candelaria church massacre on July 23, 1993. Brazilian policemen
allegedly killed eight adolescents and injured several others. Nascimento was unharmed, and cited the event during his hostage situation.
(Ônibus #174) in Jardim Botânico, Rio de Janeiro. He was armed with a .38 caliber
revolver
, with the intention to rob
the passengers. Moments after Nascimento announced the robbery, a passenger signaled to a vehicle from the Rio de Janeiro military police
, prompting the police to intercept the bus.
In response to growing police presence, Nascimento took the passengers of the bus hostage
. The bus was soon surrounded by police officers, television
news crews, and onlooking civilians. Nascimento at first assured the passengers, the police, the television crews and their viewers that he did not intend to kill anyone. Nascimento demanded weapons and a new bus driver (since the original driver had escaped through a window) to aid in his escape from the scene. As his demands went on ungranted, he threatened to kill a hostage at six o'clock.
Nascimento singled out several of the hostages for dramatic demonstrations over the course of the event. He repeatedly used the hostages as human shield
s. Nearing seven o'clock, Nascimento fired his revolver, bluffing the execution of hostage Janaína Lopes Neves to those outside the bus. The other hostages were told to act as if the execution had occurred.
At 06:50 PM local time, Nascimento exited the bus, using schoolteacher Geisa Firmo Gonçalves as a human shield. As Nascimento's attention was being held in one direction, an officer armed with a submachine gun
approached Nascimento from behind. Just prior to the officer reaching him, Nascimento turned directly toward the officer and reacted by jerking away from the officer, falling to the ground, taking Gonçalves with him. The officer reacted by continuing his advance and firing two or three shots at Nascimento while doing so. None of these shots struck Nascimento. Officers then converged on Nascimento and Gonçalves as they lay on the ground. Surrounding crowds rushed the area. Nascimento was immobilized by the police and taken into custody.
Nascimento could be seen to be alive at the time he was placed into a police vehicle. Some time after being taken into custody, he died of asphyxiation. There were later assertions that Nascimento was intentionally killed by the police, and that his death was revenge for the public nature of the hostage event. The officers who took him into custody were charged with murder; after jury trial they were found not guilty.
Gonçalves was shot four times. Police reports concluded she had been shot once in the face by the advancing police officer and then three times in the back by Nascimento in the ensuing struggle. The officer's shot was ruled unintentional by a court.
and Gávea
. Due to the stigma caused by this incident, the route was rebadged as "158" in November 2001.
The 2002 documentary film
Bus 174
retells the incident, discussing the life of Nascimento, and speculates on the social factors that led him to actions. The film contains a large amount of original video footage of the event, and recounts from several people surrounding the event, including the hostages, family of Nascimento, police officials, and news reporters.
Última Parada 174
relates a fictionalized account of the life of Nascimento, street kid in Rio de Janeiro that survived the Candelaria massacre, and in 2000, hijacked a bus. On September 16, 2008 the film was chosen by the Ministry of Culture as the representative of Brazil in the Oscar competition for best foreign film at the ceremony in 2009.
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
. Nascimento boarded a public bus, intending to rob the passengers. However, the incident developed into a hostage situation, which was broadcast live by most Brazilian national television channels.
Early life
According to Nascimento's relatives, he witnessed the murder of his mother. Shortly after the incident, Nascimento ran away from his home to vagabond on the streets.At one point, Nascimento resided in the area of Candelaria
Candelaria
-People:*John Candelaria , American baseball pitcher*Candelaria Pérez , sergeant in the Chilean Army, hero of the Battle of Yungay*Nash Candelaria , U.S...
, a historical church in Rio de Janeiro, where he witnessed the Candelaria church massacre on July 23, 1993. Brazilian policemen
Military Police of Rio de Janeiro State
The Military Police of Rio de Janeiro State like other military polices in Brazil is a reserve and ancillary force of the Brazilian Army, and part of the System of Public Security and Brazilian Social Protection...
allegedly killed eight adolescents and injured several others. Nascimento was unharmed, and cited the event during his hostage situation.
Bus 174 Hostage situation
On June 12, 2000, Nascimento boarded a public busBus
A bus is a road vehicle designed to carry passengers. Buses can have a capacity as high as 300 passengers. The most common type of bus is the single-decker bus, with larger loads carried by double-decker buses and articulated buses, and smaller loads carried by midibuses and minibuses; coaches are...
(Ônibus #174) in Jardim Botânico, Rio de Janeiro. He was armed with a .38 caliber
9 mm caliber
This article lists firearm cartridges which have a bullet in the caliber range. The most prevalent of these rounds is the 9x19mm Parabellum.*Length refers to the cartridge case length.*OAL refers to the overall length of the cartridge....
revolver
Revolver
A revolver is a repeating firearm that has a cylinder containing multiple chambers and at least one barrel for firing. The first revolver ever made was built by Elisha Collier in 1818. The percussion cap revolver was invented by Samuel Colt in 1836. This weapon became known as the Colt Paterson...
, with the intention to rob
Robbery
Robbery is the crime of taking or attempting to take something of value by force or threat of force or by putting the victim in fear. At common law, robbery is defined as taking the property of another, with the intent to permanently deprive the person of that property, by means of force or fear....
the passengers. Moments after Nascimento announced the robbery, a passenger signaled to a vehicle from the Rio de Janeiro military police
Military Police of Rio de Janeiro State
The Military Police of Rio de Janeiro State like other military polices in Brazil is a reserve and ancillary force of the Brazilian Army, and part of the System of Public Security and Brazilian Social Protection...
, prompting the police to intercept the bus.
In response to growing police presence, Nascimento took the passengers of the bus hostage
Hostage
A hostage is a person or entity which is held by a captor. The original definition meant that this was handed over by one of two belligerent parties to the other or seized as security for the carrying out of an agreement, or as a preventive measure against certain acts of war...
. The bus was soon surrounded by police officers, television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
news crews, and onlooking civilians. Nascimento at first assured the passengers, the police, the television crews and their viewers that he did not intend to kill anyone. Nascimento demanded weapons and a new bus driver (since the original driver had escaped through a window) to aid in his escape from the scene. As his demands went on ungranted, he threatened to kill a hostage at six o'clock.
Nascimento singled out several of the hostages for dramatic demonstrations over the course of the event. He repeatedly used the hostages as human shield
Human shield
Human shield is a military and political term describing the deliberate placement of civilians in or around combat targets to deter an enemy from attacking those targets. It may also refer to the use of civilians to literally shield combatants during attacks, by forcing the civilians to march in...
s. Nearing seven o'clock, Nascimento fired his revolver, bluffing the execution of hostage Janaína Lopes Neves to those outside the bus. The other hostages were told to act as if the execution had occurred.
At 06:50 PM local time, Nascimento exited the bus, using schoolteacher Geisa Firmo Gonçalves as a human shield. As Nascimento's attention was being held in one direction, an officer armed with a submachine gun
Submachine gun
A submachine gun is an automatic carbine, designed to fire pistol cartridges. It combines the automatic fire of a machine gun with the cartridge of a pistol. The submachine gun was invented during World War I , but the apex of its use was during World War II when millions of the weapon type were...
approached Nascimento from behind. Just prior to the officer reaching him, Nascimento turned directly toward the officer and reacted by jerking away from the officer, falling to the ground, taking Gonçalves with him. The officer reacted by continuing his advance and firing two or three shots at Nascimento while doing so. None of these shots struck Nascimento. Officers then converged on Nascimento and Gonçalves as they lay on the ground. Surrounding crowds rushed the area. Nascimento was immobilized by the police and taken into custody.
Nascimento could be seen to be alive at the time he was placed into a police vehicle. Some time after being taken into custody, he died of asphyxiation. There were later assertions that Nascimento was intentionally killed by the police, and that his death was revenge for the public nature of the hostage event. The officers who took him into custody were charged with murder; after jury trial they were found not guilty.
Gonçalves was shot four times. Police reports concluded she had been shot once in the face by the advancing police officer and then three times in the back by Nascimento in the ensuing struggle. The officer's shot was ruled unintentional by a court.
The bus route
The number "174" was used to identify a specific bus route between Central do BrasilCentral do Brasil
Central do Brasil is the most important train station in the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro. It is the last stop of Rio's railway network, as well as a hub for connection with the city subway and a bus station...
and Gávea
Gávea
Gávea is an affluent residential neighborhood located in the Southern Zone of the city of Rio de Janeiro. It borders the São Conrado, Leblon, Lagoa and Jardim Botânico neighborhoods and is famous for its high concentration of artists and intellectuals. PUC-Rio, one of the most important...
. Due to the stigma caused by this incident, the route was rebadged as "158" in November 2001.
Films
At least two films have been made depicting the events of the hostage crisis.The 2002 documentary film
Documentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
Bus 174
Bus 174
Bus 174 is a Brazilian documentary film released on October 22, 2002. It is the debut film of director José Padilha and co-director Felipe Lacerda. Sandro do Nascimento, a young man from a poor background, bungled a robbery and ended up holding the passengers on a bus hostage for four hours. The...
retells the incident, discussing the life of Nascimento, and speculates on the social factors that led him to actions. The film contains a large amount of original video footage of the event, and recounts from several people surrounding the event, including the hostages, family of Nascimento, police officials, and news reporters.
Última Parada 174
Última Parada 174
Last Stop 174 is a 2008 Brazilian film directed by Bruno Barreto, written by Braulio Mantovani, produced by Moonshot Pictures and starring Michel Gomes and Marcello Melo Jr...
relates a fictionalized account of the life of Nascimento, street kid in Rio de Janeiro that survived the Candelaria massacre, and in 2000, hijacked a bus. On September 16, 2008 the film was chosen by the Ministry of Culture as the representative of Brazil in the Oscar competition for best foreign film at the ceremony in 2009.
External links
- Bus 174 (documentary)
- http://www1.folha.uol.com.br/folha/cotidiano/paniconorio.htm