Police arrested José António Santana Filho, accused of stabbing three passengers to death and injuring three others on a bus in Piracicaba, a city in the hinterland 157 kilometers from Sao Paulo, on Tuesday (21).

The main hypothesis is that the aggressor had a psychotic break. Here’s what we know about the crime. Information taken from the portal R7.

A 52-year-old man had a psychotic break, killed three people and injured three others on the bus – Photo: REPRODUÇÇÇO/RECORD TV/DIVULGAÇÃO/ND

Attack

The incident occurred in the central area of ​​Piracicaba. The bus was carrying between 35 and 40 passengers who had just left the city’s central terminal when the attacks began. The place was surrounded and cordoned off by the military police.

According to Major Freixo of the Piracicaba Military Police, who was responsible for the incident, the man had a psychotic breakdown and randomly attacked people. He did not even announce the assault and began the assaults, apparently for no reason at all.

Witnesses reported that he was sitting in one of the seats of the team and suddenly got up, grabbed a bladed weapon and, without saying a word, went to the victims.

An unknown passenger told what he witnessed: “He stabbed everyone into a knife. Whoever he caught, he killed. He looked at me and said, “You’re next.” Then I took this package and threw it in his face. That’s when he fell. He was faster, he took the knife, he did it, I slipped and fell on top of the girl who died there. Then she stayed.

Two police officers surrounded the bus and called for reinforcements. To get away, the attacker threw bags towards the agents. After negotiations, he surrendered and was arrested at the scene of the crime.

victims

Among the victims were two women, aged 42 and 55, who died instantly, as well as a 68-year-old man. Names are not disclosed.

Three more passengers were injured and taken to regional hospitals, two of them in serious condition.

Author

The investigation indicates that the author of the crime is José António Santana Filho, 52 years old. He had a job in the police.

For delegate Juliana Ricci, there was no motive for the crime. “He had no connection to these victims. They were chosen at random because they were stabbed to death inside the bus,” he concluded.

According to investigators, during the approach the aggressor uttered incoherent phrases. It is unknown if he was under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Police believe he had a psychotic break.