Note from BW of Brazil: The violence in Rio, as in Brazil as a whole, continues and no one is immune to the cruel reality. Not even those who are famous. The name of funk singer Tati Quebra Barraco hasn’t appeared on this blog in some time and it’s sad that her name recently returned to headlines in such a painful manner. Below are the details of yet another incident that is all to common in the slums of Rio de Janeiro.
Son of famous funk singer Tati Quebra Barraco is shot and dies in Cidade de Deus, in Rio’s West Zone. Police say it happened during a shootout
Yuri Lourenço da Silva, son of funkeira (funk singer) Tati Quebra Barraco, was shot dead Sunday morning in Cidade de Deus, a neighborhood in the West Zone of Rio de Janeiro. The 19-year-old’s relatives report that he was shot in the face by gunfire around 1 am Sunday morning. Yuri was taken to Lourenço Jorge Hospital, also in the West Zone of Rio, in Barra da Tijuca, but succumbed to his injuries.
The young man’s relatives said that another young man who was with Yuri, Jean Rodrigues de Jesus, 22, died after they had shot at him. For them, the shooters are from the Military Police of the UPP (Unidade de Polícia Pacificadora or Pacifying Police Unit). Military police confirmed that they shot at two people, but that they were two criminals who had surprised the PMs who carried out a routine patrol and who were armed. In addition, police say drugs and weapons were found on them, at Rua Quintanilhas, and that there were shots exchanged.
A relative who didn’t want their the identity disclosed, told Extra that the cops shot to kill, because that’s what they do when they are pobre e preto (poor and black). He also stated that the police officers after shooting the boy, recorded the fact through photos that were released on social networks. He concluded by stating that police officers didn’t have the right to take their lives that way.
On the social networks
Funk singer Tati Quebra Barraco posted on Twitter that the cops had taken a piece of her that will never be filled. She stated that the MP killed Yuri and that this pain will not heal.
The funkeira received the news of the death of her son during a show she was doing in Belo Horizonte (capital of the state of Minas Gerais). A fan who was recording the show reported during an interview that she wasn’t cheerful and simply sang, showing extreme sadness. On her Facebook, she justified herself saying that despite the devastating news, she could not stop the show because she had to finish what she had started, trying not to let people at the show not perceive her sadness.
The singer’s son had two recent priors with the police, for theft and robbery.
Tati Quebra Barraco vents on social networks
“The MP took a piece of me that will never be filled. The MP killed my son. This pain will never heal,” she posted on her social networks.
The funkeira asked her followers how they would feel if they received this kind of news during a show. She ended by apologizing to her son for mistakes she may have made as a mother. The burial was scheduled for Monday, the 12th, at the Pechincha cemetery with the wake following at 2:30 p.m.
During the operation in Cidade de Deus on Sunday, two Military Police officers were also shot, but they were not seriously injured and are recovering.
The Homicide Division is investigating the case to find out the circumstances under which these young people died.
The singer is with her family in Rio and has postponed her schedule of shows for the next few days. Still according to police, a pistol, two radio transmitters and drugs were apprehended at the location of the confrontation.
News during show
Informed of her son’s death during a presentation in Belo Horizonte (MG) she singer wrote “How would it be for you to get a message, a call in the middle of the show saying your child is dead?” she asked in a social network post.
Privacy Policy
“I couldn’t stop what I had started, I had fans, an audience, the house photographer, I had a signed contract, so I had to finish the Eleganza nightclub show with a smile on my face, without anyone noticing. But I wasn’t strong the whole time, I broke down!,” she continued.
Then the singer addressed her son: “You and your brothers know what I’ve done and I’ve been doing to give you the best. Was this the reason you went to your great-grandmother’s fellowship without us noticing? Were you saying goodbye? My God! My God!,” she wrote. “I’m sorry if I was a bad mother or if I taught you the wrong way, I just wanted the best for you.”
According to the Folha de S. Paulo newspaper, Yuri had a prior police record. He was caught in 2013, after stealing a baseball cap, in Rio de Janeiro. At the time, he was referred to the Police Department for Child and Adolescent Protection (DPCA) and responded to the action in freedom.
Tati Quebra Barraco is the mother of three children. In addition to Yuri, she has the younger Mila, 12, and the eldest Carol Lourenço, 22. Like her mother, Carol launched herself as a funk singer and Hip-Hop dancer.
Note from BW of Brazil: As news of Tati’s son’s death made headlines, Brazilians were quick to voice their opinions on the news and many of the comments seemed to voice the idea that Yuri deserved what he got. As shown in previous posts, when it is discovered that people killed by police have previous records with the police there is usually no sympathy for the loss of life. I will stick to points I’ve made in previous posts. 1) There does seem to be a double standard as to how people react to crime depending on the person’s status, class and race. 2) I don’t condone crime but I disagree with petty crime being worthy of death. 3) The conditions of modern day Brazil are the result of very rich, powerful people who are known to steal billions from the Brazilian population and often face no charges for their crimes.
Comments
Tati Quebra Barraco: “The MP took a piece of me that will never be filled. The MP killed my son. This pain will never heal.”
“A good crook is dead crook”
“One less vagabond in the world”
“I’m sorry for your son, but if you had educated him right on the good path, he would probably still be alive.”
“Of course your son was a saint, right?”
“Was your son a drug dealer? If so, then it was late.”
“Poor thing, the boy must have been a super good person, a worker, to be killed by the MP.”
“If he hadn’t been messing around with drug dealers this wouldn’t have happened.”
“My condolences. It’s not the fault of the police. Your job was to be a mother and be present, but who am I to judge?”
“Was he praying in the church? Was he studying in school? I bet not. The police never took a shot at me. Funny…”
“It wasn’t the MP, it was your own son.”
Source: UOL, Blasting News, Blasting News (2)
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