Marielle Franco, a well-known human rights activist in Brazil has been shot dead by unknown assailants. She was killed in a car on Joaquim Palhares Street, in the Central Region of Rio, at about 9:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Globo.com reports.
The driver of the vehicle, Anderson Pedro Gomes, was also shot dead while Franco’s adviser sustained injuries. Councilman Tarcisio Motta (PSOL), who confirmed the news said: “several indications point to an execution.”
Police at the crime scene — Fala Petrolina
Franco, a Rio city councillor who was elected to office in 2016 was very vocal while championing for the respect of the rights of persons in the country.
Before her murder, Franco who was a resident of the Favela da Maré was said to have complained about the rate of violence in the city.
“One more homicide of a young man who may be coming in for the PM’s account… How many more will have to die for this war to end?” she wrote on her personal Twitter account.
The main line of investigation of her death is execution, investigators at the Homicide Office told Globo.com.
