Two people die after exchange of gunfire in Santa Rita de Minas | Valleys of Minas Gerais

Two people died after an exchange of gunfire, this Thursday (25), on a dirt road in Córrego do Lage, in Santa Rita de Minas.

According to the Military Police, a car was heading to the district of Santana do Tabuleiro with nine people who were going to work on a coffee harvest.

The workers who were in the vehicle told the police that they were following the route when they came across a person in the middle of the road. She wore a ballistic vest, balaclava (ninja cap) and had a pistol. Upon noticing the vehicle approaching, the criminal began shooting towards the car.

According to witnesses, in addition to the man wearing the vest, there appeared to be two or three other suspects.

The shooter was shot several times in the head and chest and died at the scene.

He was found on the side of the road, indicating that he was killed in the middle of the road and then dragged to the side.

A 25-year-old man who was in the passenger seat of the car also died in the exchange of gunfire. He was born in Bahia, according to the PM, and was hit by around three shots in the head and chest.

During the forensic work, a portion of marijuana was found in the waist of the victim who was in the car.

When they noticed the exchange of gunfire, the other occupants of the car ran away.

The Military Police also reported that the driver of the car was also armed and reacted, shooting at the man who was on the road wearing a vest.

The driver fled and has not yet been found.

During the check around the location, the PM found two motorcycles that were used in the crime. They were seized.

One of them had a complaint of theft and the other had a scraped chassis.

The seized motorcycles were on a road covered in vegetation close to the crime scene. There were four helmets on them.

The suspicion is that the exchange of gunfire is related to disputes over territory in drug trafficking in the region. The Civil Police will investigate the crime.