18 clubbers shot dead as gunmen storm packed music venue and spray crowd with bullets in Brazil
Cops in Brazil say bloodbath was the violent result of a deadly dispute between two murderous criminal gangs
A MASS shooting at a nightclub in Brazil has left 18 people dead and 12 injured, many of them innocent bystanders, police said.
Heavily armed bandits stormed a party venue packed with young people in the early hours of this morning in Cajazeiras, a neighbourhood in Fortaleza, north east Brazil.
According to police, the slaughter was the violent result of a deadly dispute between two criminal gangs.
The Guardians of the State had confronted rival members of the Red Command outside the Forro Gago nightclub which was packed with innocent party-goers.
Cops said 16 people were gunned down at the scene including 37-year-old Marisa Mara who was selling hot dogs outside the venue with her 12 year old son who is among the wounded.
Uber driver and married father of one, Natanael da Silva, 25 died when his car was riddled with bullets as he dropped off a customer.
The majority of the victims were said to be young women aged between 16 and 24 in what is being described as the largest ever massacre to have taken place in the city.
Police images show the horrific carnage with corpses scattered across the floor inside the club.
Some are lying where they fell and bodies on the pavement and road outside the venue.
A military police officer who asked not to be identified said to O Povo News: “An armed group arrived in three cars, invaded the nightclub and just started shooting at the victims.
";We’ve been told there were at least 15 gunmen firing semi-automatics randomly.
"People didn’t have a chance to defend themselves, as they were caught completely off guard.
"There are bullet holes in the walls inside and outside the club and in cars parked nearby.
“We believe, the order was to kill members of the Red Command."
But according to eyewitnesses many of the people who were hit had no involvement in organised crime and were innocent bystanders.
People who living nearby the location said the shootings begun around midnight and the bombardment lasted for about 30 minutes.
A survivor, who declined to be identified, reported that at least four of her friends had died in the mayhem.
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According to her, none had any links with criminal activity.
She said: “It was horrible, too horrible so many my friends were just shot down where they stood.
“Those of us who were lucky to get away ran into houses nearby and some climbed onto the rooftops and ran for their lives.”
Detectives said a taskforce has been set up to investigate the horrific crime.
The identity of the suspects have not been released and the names of all those killed will be revealed once family members have been informed said cops.
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