Armed Robber gunned down while attempting to rob young children and families outside a school by a waiting mother – Turns out she was an off-duty cop
Gunman later identified as 21-year-old man Elivelton Neves Moreira attempted to rob young children and families outside a school for a Mother’s Day event, over the weekend
Instead Moreira was shot by a waiting mother, Katia da Silva Sastre, outside the private school in Sao Paulo, Brazil at 8 am Saturday
Cameras caught the dramatic moment on Saturday morning, when Sastre, 42, who turned out to be an off-duty armed policewoman turned the table on the gunman
The suspect, Neves Moreira, died later the same day from his injuries
Officer Sastre was commended for her actions and was honored for her bravery by Sao Paulo’s Gov., Márcio França on Sunday
Off duty military police officer Katia da Silva Sastre surprised gunman, Elivelton Neves Moreira, drew her weapon and fired three times as he tried to hold up women and children at gunpoint in Sao Paulo, Brazil, Saturday morning
This is the moment a gunman’s attempted robbery on young children and families waiting outside a school in Sao Paulo was foiled by a mother who turned out to be an off-duty armed policewoman.
Security cameras outside the private school in Sao Paulo caught the dramatic moment on Saturday morning around 8am.
Military police officer Katia da Silva Sastre, 42, rounded on the gunman, identified as Elivelton Neves Moreira, 21, and surprised him by whipping out her weapon and firing three times.
Officer Sastre is being hailed a hero for her act of bravery and was honored in a ceremony by Sao Paulo Governor Márcio França on Sunday.
Katia da Silva Sastre [left], thwarted a gunman who threatened to shoot outside of a Mother’s Day event at a local school in Sao Paulo, Brazil on Saturday. A day later she was was honored with flowers by Sao Paulo Governor Márcio França, [second right], commending her bravery
Despite the rather tragic end for the young would-be armed robber, officer da Silver Sastre [seen with Gov Franca], has been commended for her actions by the state of Sao Paulo
Although the suspect died later the same day in the hospital from his injuries, Officer Sastre is still being commended for her actions despite the ‘regrettable’ outcome.
Writing on Twitter Governor França said: ‘I went earlier to the 4th BAEP in the east of Sao Paulo to honor a very special mother: Corporal Katia Sastre. Her courage and precision saved mothers and children, yesterday at the door of a school’.
Sastre, [photo, left], is a mother to two girls, ages seven and two, and is married to a police lieutenant’
The governor then presented her with a purple orchid plant as a thank you for her off-duty valor at her police station, fittingly on Brazil’s Mother’s Day.
Officer Sastre is a mother to two girls, ages seven and two. She has worked on the force for 20 years and is also married to a police lieutenant.
The horrific attack unfolded Saturday as Sastre was waiting for the gates of Ferreira Master school to open.
That’s when a bandit, dressed in a black jacket, casually walks up and announces it’s a robbery while pointing a .38 revolver at the group of terrified mothers and small children.
The school, in the Jardim dos Ipês suburb of the city, was due to host a Mother’s Day party.
Elivelton Neves Moreira approaches his intended robbery targets, gun held out
Bang! Bang!! Bang!!! – Three times Officer Sastre let loose on the armed would be robber with her service handgun
Pointing the firearm at the school’s security guard and reaching out to grab the man’s wallet and phone, the suspect suddenly stopped in his tracks by the officer, who had her gun at the ready after being alerted to the danger by another woman seconds earlier.
Pulling her police issued weapon from her bag, she loads the gun then reacts with speed, stepping forward and firing off three rounds, shooting the assailant in the chest and leg as he tries to fire back.
The armed man falls backwards onto the zebra crossing and releases two shots in the process as he hits the ground. The first one ricochets off the ground hitting no one, and the second jams in the weapon.
Katia Sastre bends over the injured suspect after surprising and shooting him three times Moreira died later the same day in hospital from his injuries
Sastre quickly backs away out of the line of fire then goes over to the injured suspect who is rolling around on the ground in agony crying out for help. She kicks away his weapon before picking it up.
Sastre, who had gone to the event with her seven-year-old daughter, told colleagues: ‘I didn’t know if he was going to shoot the kids or the mothers or the security guard at the school door.
‘I just thought about defending the mums, the children, my own life and my daughter’s.’
Approaching the wounded assailant while still pointing her gun, she throws her bag to one side, orders the suspect to turn over and pushes him with her foot into a facedown position, then pins him down while waiting for medical help and backup to arrive.
Speaking on her act of valor she said: ‘I had to act quickly to end his aggression and prevent him from harming anyone. I reverted to the training I have received in the corporation.
The ‘shooting mother’ is seen approaching the wounded assailant while still pointing her gun, she throws her bag to one side.
Mother-of-two, off duty military police officer Katia da Silva Sastre, who happened to be running her her child to school, rounded on the gunman, Elivelton Neves Moreira and surprised him by drawing her weapon and firing three times
Elivelton Neves Moreira ends up on his back, victimized instead
The mother-of-two, who has served as a policewoman for 20 years, said: ‘I had to act quickly’
‘It’s gratifying to have been in the right place to have saved all our lives,’ she added revealing she was first warned of the danger when a woman, in a grey dress, hurriedly walked past and pointed backwards saying a robbery had just taken place behind her.
Moments later the gunman appeared.
Husband of officer Sastre, military police lieutenant André Alves said to Folha de Sao Paulo: ‘The suspect’s gun fired once, but it is not known whether or not it was before Katia fired.
‘The first shot ricocheted and got lost. On his second attempt at firing, the weapon locked. Thankfully she was faster than him, because when a thug discovers (their opponent) is a police officer, he shoots to kill.’
Governor França commended Sastre saying she had shown ‘dexterity, technique and courage.’
Surveillance cameras captured officer Sastre ordering the would be shooter, Moreira to turn over and pushes him with her foot into a face down position
The officer, who had gone to the event with her seven-year-old daughter, told colleagues: ‘I didn’t know if he was going to shoot the kids or the mothers or the security guard’
da Silva Sastre has been commended for bravery in a ceremony today, as Brazil celebrates Mother’s Day. The governor explained that the ‘homage was made because it’s Mother’s Day and because she is a mum.
‘She went to the party to celebrate the date and a situation like this happened. She acted so precisely, so perfectly, that we decided to honour her,’ the governor told Folha.
Public security secretary, Maggie Alves explained: ‘She pushed the children out of the way and approached the thief. She shoots, the boy shoots, the boy tries to shoot at her leg. She immobilized the boy and calls the [emergency services]. It was a perfect procedure from a technical point of view,’ Alves said
However, governor França lamented the outcome as ‘sad and regrettable’.
‘It is not ideal that the suspect died. We would have preferred this had not happened. But it is a warning to those who take up a gun that they could be killed because our security professionals are well trained to protect the public,’ he said.
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