Tied for deadliest mass shooting by a lone gunman in Brazilian history, with 12 killed at a New Year's party on 31 December 2016.
Key Facts
- Deaths
- 12 people
- Wounded
- 3 people
- Perpetrator
- Sidnei Araujo
- Weapon used
- Walther P5 9mm semi-automatic handgun
- Date and time
- 31 December 2016, approx. 23:50 BRST
- Historical ranking
- Tied deadliest lone-gunman shooting in Brazil
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
Sidnei Araujo, estranged from his wife, is believed to have been motivated by anger over their separation. Before the attack, a recording found in his car showed he apologized for something that would happen, though he did not specify the act.
At approximately 23:50 on 31 December 2016, Araujo entered a private home in Campinas, São Paulo State, where a New Year's party was underway, and opened fire with a 9mm handgun. He killed 12 people, including his estranged wife and eight-year-old son, wounded three others, then died by suicide.
The shooting tied with the 1997 São Gonçalo do Amarante massacre and the 2011 Rio de Janeiro school shooting as the deadliest lone-gunman mass shooting in Brazilian history. The case remained under investigation, drawing renewed attention to domestic violence and gun violence in Brazil.