Sandro Rosa do Nascimento

Sandro Rosa do Nascimento (July 7, 1978 – June 12, 2000) was the perpetrator of the Bus 174 hostage crisis in Jardim Botânico, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Nascimento boarded a public bus, intending to rob the passengers. However, the incident developed into a hostage situation, which was broadcast live by most Brazilian national television channels.

According to Nascimento's relatives, he witnessed the murder of his mother. Shortly after the incident, Nascimento ran away from his home to vagabond on the streets.

At one point, Nascimento resided in the area of Candelaria, a historical church in Rio de Janeiro, where he witnessed the Candelaria church massacre on July 23, 1993. Brazilian policemen killed eight adolescents and injured several others. Nascimento was unharmed, and cited the event during his hostage situation.

On June 12, 2000, Nascimento boarded a public bus (Ônibus #174) in Jardim Botânico, Rio de Janeiro. He was armed with a .38 caliber revolver, with the intention to rob the passengers. Moments after Nascimento announced the robbery, a passenger signaled to a vehicle from the Rio de Janeiro military police, prompting the police to intercept the bus.

Nascimento took the passengers of the bus hostage. The bus was soon surrounded by police officers, television news crews, and onlooking civilians. Nascimento at first assured the passengers, the police, the television crews and their viewers that he did not intend to kill anyone. Nascimento demanded weapons and a new bus driver (since the original driver had escaped through a window) to aid in his escape from the scene. As his demands went on ungranted, he threatened to kill a hostage at six o'clock.

Nascimento singled out several of the hostages for dramatic demonstrations over the course of the event. He repeatedly used the hostages as human shields. Nearing seven o'clock, Nascimento fired his revolver, bluffing the execution of hostage Janaína Lopes Neves to those outside the bus. The other hostages were told to act as if the execution had occurred.

...
Wikipedia