A helicopter that is carrying a Santa Claus actor to one of the shanty towns of Rio de Janeiro was opened fire upon by drug traffickers in the area. No one was hurt in the process.
It is believed that the gunmen that fired upon the helicopter carrying
Santa Claus thought it was a police helicopter. In the shanty towns of Rio de Janeiro, military-style police raids are common.
An actor dressed as Santa Claus was being flown in by helicopter to the favela of Nova Mare for a Christmas party. That was when the gunmen had fired upon the helicopter. The helicopter had to return to base as two bullet holes were found in its fuselage.
According to the police, it was luck that ensured nobody got hurt.
When the attack happened, the helicopter was flying over the shanty town of Vila do Joao. It’s believed that the drug traffickers thought it was a police helicopter.
But, the Santa would return by car to Nova Mare to deliver presents. Over 1,000 children and parents were waiting for his arrival.
According to an interview with Brazil’s TV Globo, the actor said he was scared that there would possibly be a crash. However, he stopped fearing when he saw the pilot remaining calm and flying it as normal.
In the city, there are over 700 favelas. The drug gangs control most of them. Early in the year, a police officer was shot as he traveled over the shanty towns by helicopter.
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