Four children were killed, and three others were injured following an ax attack at Cantinho Bom Pastor day care center in Blumenau, Brazil.
“It is with great sadness that I receive the regrettable news that the Cantinho do Bom Pastor private day care center, in Blumenau, has been invaded by an assassin who attacked children and employees. Unfortunately four did not resist and died, in addition to three wounded,” governor of the Santa Catarina state, Jorginho Mello, tweeted.
“I immediately determined the action of our security forces, who are already in place. The killer is already arrested. I leave here my full solidarity. May God comfort the hearts of all families in this moment of deep pain,” Mello added.
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The state’s firefighters corps confirmed the man attacked with a hatchet and that three children were taken to the hospital, the Associated Press reported.
The Cantinho Bom Pastor day care center in Blumenau, Brazil. (Google Maps)
“According to the Civil Police, the dead children, three boys and a girl, are between 5 and 7 years old,” Brazilian politics reporter for the Correio Braziliense newspaper, Renato Souza, tweeted. “In a note, president Lula condemns the attack, says it is an act of ‘monstrosity,’ of ‘hatred’ and offers solidarity to the families.”
Images broadcast on television showed weeping parents outside the private daycare center in southern Brazil.
“There is no greater pain than that of a family that loses its children or grandchildren, even more so in an act of violence against innocent and defenseless children. My condolences and prayers to the families of the victims and the community of Blumenau in the face of the monstrosity that occurred at the Bom Pastor day care center,” Brazilian president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva tweeted in response to the attack. “For any human being who has the Christian feeling, a tragedy like this is unacceptable, a behavior, an absurd act of hate and cowardice like this.”
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According to the AP, school attacks in Brazil had been uncommon, but have begun happening with greater frequency in recent years.
Last week, a student in Sao Paulo stabbed a teacher, killing her, and also wounded several others in Sao Paulo.
Blumenau, a city of 366,000 people, is famous for its annual Oktoberfest festival.
This is a breaking news story. Check back for updates. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
