The militants attempted to rob two banks
Eleven people, including five hostages, were killed today when gunmen tried to rob two banks and then take them hostage in northeastern Brazil, as a shootout between gunmen and police, according to the mayor of Milagres.
"We were informed by the hospital that 11 people had been killed, six gunmen and five hostages," Lielson Landin, the mayor of Milagres, Ceara, told Band News.
"The robbers killed the hostages and the police killed the criminals," the mayor explained, without elaborating on the course of events.
Brazilian media report that the death toll is higher, a total of 13. The exchange of fire lasted about 20 minutes, after the attempted robbery, before dawn.
Four members of the same family, including a child, are among the dead.
The four victims were apparently held hostage by gunmen trying to escape while riding in a vehicle heading to the airport.
Six robbers and five hostages including a child shot dead in Brazil bank hold-up https://t.co/whi5FN9b4g pic.twitter.com/1vo98GTKE5- Mirror Breaking News (@MirrorBreaking_) December 7, 2018