A civil police officer was shot during a confrontation with a criminal while conducting an operation in the rural area of São João do Sabugi, located in the Seridó region of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil. The operation aimed to fulfill warrants and disrupt a criminal organization linked to drug trafficking and robbery. The police officer was promptly assisted by fire department personnel and initially taken to the Regional Hospital of Caicó, where he was intubated due to the severity of his injuries. Subsequently, he was airlifted to the Walfredo Gurgel Hospital in Natal for further treatment.

The operation that led to the confrontation resulted in the arrest of eight individuals, as police made significant progress in their efforts to combat organized crime in the area. Law enforcement agencies are increasingly active in Rio Grande do Norte, targeting gangs and criminal networks that are responsible for a surge in violence related to drug-related activities. The suspect involved in the shooting was killed during the encounter with the police, highlighting the dangerous nature of such operations.

An official statement from the fire department involved in the rescue operation indicated that the police officer was