A 25-year-old father, Jonathan Henrique Bispo Santos, and his 5-year-old daughter, Maitê Luiza Bispo, have been killed in a shooting in Brazil just days after he was released from prison.
Follow Our WhatsApp Channel here
The incident happened on Monday night, October 5, after Jonathan and his family were travelling from Rio Acima towards Nova Lima, on the outskirts of Belo Horizonte.
According to reports, a vehicle pulled alongside their car on the MG-030 highway and opened fire.
Follow Our Telegram Channel here
Jonathan was reportedly shot while driving and died behind the wheel. His young daughter was also struck in the head and suffered a cardiac arrest before being rushed to hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
Jonathan’s partner and Maitê’s mother, 23-year-old Raíssa Luiza Valentim Pimenta, survived the attack and later told police that she believed she knew who was responsible.
Raíssa said a vehicle with its headlights on full beam approached their car at around 11.20pm before about eight shots were fired.
She said Jonathan attempted to turn the car around and return to Rio Acima for help, but the other vehicle followed them and continued shooting.
She said: “Jonathan turned the car and headed back towards Rio Acima.
“The other car turned as well, came after us and kept shooting.”
Raíssa said Jonathan eventually told her that he had been shot before losing consciousness and crashing into a fence.
When military police arrived at the scene, they found Jonathan dead while Maitê was being held by her mother.
Raíssa has since appealed for justice for her daughter, describing the child as completely innocent.
She said: “I only ask for justice for my daughter, because she is so young, so small.
“She has nothing to do with this.
“There is no way to say how innocent she is in this story.
“So tiny, she knows nothing. So innocent, so loved by everyone.”
Police are reportedly investigating revenge as a possible motive for the shooting, following an earlier incident involving Jonathan and the man now suspected of carrying out the attack.
In January 2025, the suspect reportedly told officers that he had been driving with his wife in Honório Bicalho when two people on a motorcycle opened fire at them.