Layla Sofia Santos Menezes dies in fatal Areia Branca shooting
Fatal Areia Branca shooting death of Layla Sofia Santos Menezes
A driver unleashed gunfire on a two-and-a-half-year-old girl after she and her family’s vehicle sounded their horn, according to shocking surveillance evidence. The incident unfolded in Areia Branca, Brazil, on June 24. The individual involved, later identified as pick-up truck operator Alex de Oliveira Nunes, was initially seen pulling over on the side of the road to allow a larger family saloon to pass.
However, the security camera recording indicates that Nunes subsequently began following the smaller hatchback closely. As he gained distance, a hand clutching a firearm appeared from the driver’s side window of his truck. He then fired two shots at the car ahead. The terrified driver attempted to flee, but Nunes persisted in pursuit until the ammunition in his weapon was exhausted.
The infant girl, Layla Sofia Santos Menezes, sustained an instant fatal head wound from one of the bullets, police informed local news outlets. Nunes reportedly managed to escape the scene and was apprehended at his residence several hours later. Police officials confirmed that Nunes was under the influence of alcohol during the incident. He confessed to law enforcement that his motivation was to frighten the other driver.
Further investigation revealed that Nunes lacked both a valid firearms permit and a driver’s license. Police spokesperson Miguel Maximino stated that Nunes claimed ignorance regarding the occupants of the targeted vehicle. As a result, Nunes is currently being held in custody while authorities continue to examine the circumstances surrounding the homicide.
It was also reported that Nunes informed investigators he acquired the weapon from another truck driver approximately two years before the incident. The child’s family shared that the location where Layla was killed was merely a short distance from their home. Valéria dos Santos, Layla’s mother, conveyed that she had stopped near a church with her daughter in her arms, pleading for assistance, when she tragically succumbed. Layla was interred in Povoado Rio das Pedras, Itabaiana, on June 25.
