School shooting in Acre state leaves two staff dead, triggers regional suspension

A violent incident at the São José Institute in Rio Branco, Acre state, has resulted in the deaths of two staff members and injuries to two others, including an 11-year-old girl. The attack, carried out by a 13-year-old student currently enrolled at the junior high school, occurred on Tuesday when the teenager entered the building and discharged a firearm in a hallway leading to the principal's office.

Lieutenant Colonel Felipe Russo of the Acre military police department confirmed that the attacker surrendered to authorities immediately after the shooting. Police have since arrested the teenager and his stepfather, who is the owner of the .380-calibre pistol used in the assault. Russo also noted that investigators have identified other students who may have cooperated with the gunman, though the specific number remains unconfirmed.

The immediate aftermath saw a receptionist at a nearby hotel describe the chaos as students attempted to flee the scene. Eduardo Rodrigues Cavalcante, a 19-year-old receptionist, reported that one student managed to jump over a six-metre wall to seek refuge in the hotel, while others were left stranded on the school roof. Local media images subsequently showed emergency services evacuating a woman on a stretcher amidst scenes of distress outside the institution.

In response to the tragedy, the state government has suspended classes across all schools in Acre for three days. This administrative action is part of a broader mobilisation of psychological support teams designed to assist the affected school community and wider population. The state government issued a statement expressing its deepest condolences to the families of the victims and the education professionals impacted by the event.

This incident marks the latest in a series of violent attacks on educational institutions in Brazil over recent years. Authorities have noted a sharp rise in such violence, citing a shooting in Ceará in September 2025 that killed two teenagers, an attack in São Paulo in October 2023, and a knife attack in Minas Gerais earlier in 2023.

While the precise motive of the 13-year-old attacker has not been disclosed, the event has intensified calls for justice and an end to gun violence. The state government continues to address the immediate crisis, but the underlying issues regarding security within educational facilities remain a pressing concern for the region.