A 32-year-old jiu-jitsu fighter was arrested in Rio de Janeiro after a disturbing attack on two female neighbors inside their condominium.
The incident unfolded in the early hours of Thursday, November 5, when the man allegedly broke into apartments, threatened residents, and violently attacked the two women.
A viral video from the building’s elevator camera has left netizens horrified.
Highlights
- A martial artist was arrested in Rio de Janeiro after allegedly attacking two female neighbors inside their condominium.
- Elevator surveillance footage reportedly showed him punching, kicking, and choking the women.
- Gomes faces charges including attempted femicide, threats, trespassing, bodily harm, and resisting arrest.
“One of the cruelest things I’ve ever seen,” one commenter wrote.
A jiu-jitsu fighter allegedly broke into two apartments and violently attacked two women
Police identified the suspect as Lucas Portela Fontana Gomes. According to police reports, the trouble began around 1 a.m. at a condominium on Avenida Maracanã, in the Maracanã area of Rio's North Zone.
Gomes allegedly started shouting and behaving aggressively inside his own apartment. It remains unclear who he was arguing with. However, the noise and commotion prompted neighbors to call the police.
The situation reportedly escalated when Gomes entered other residents' apartments and threatened to slay everyone in the building.
According to the investigation, he first broke into an apartment on the third floor and a**aulted a 66-year-old woman.
Her relatives managed to escape down the stairs and reach the building entrance to seek help. A 40-year-old neighbor heard the screams and went upstairs to see what had happened.
When she reached the third floor, a young man reportedly told her, "He's with my grandmother!"
The neighbor then went to investigate, unaware that she would soon become another victim of the attack.
The incident was reportedly revealed on an elevator camera
The 40-year-old woman encountered Gomes near the elevator. Security footage obtained by Brazilian outlet UOL later captured the horrifying a**ault that followed.
According to reports, Gomes was barefoot and shirtless when he confronted the woman. He allegedly demanded that she kneel before kicking her. The woman pleaded with him, saying, "Don't hit me!"
However, he continued attacking her.
The footage reportedly showed Gomes throwing punches and elbow strikes while the woman tried to shield her face with her hands. As the elevator traveled toward the ground floor, he cornered her inside the small space and continued hitting her.
He then allegedly grabbed her from behind, put her in a chokehold, and forced her to the floor. At one point, the woman appeared to struggle to breathe as he held her down.
The attack did not stop there.
Gomes reportedly punched her in the face while kneeling on her chest. He also grabbed her by the neck and repeatedly slammed her head against the elevator floor.
The woman was left bleeding and struggling to stand. After Gomes eventually walked out of the elevator, she managed to get up and leave the building. She reportedly took shelter at a nearby gas station.
According to the investigation, the woman suffered at least 30 punches during the attack. She was taken to Souza Aguiar Municipal Hospital for treatment but was later discharged.
The elevator attack was not the only violent incident reported that night connected to the fighter
Before attacking the 40-year-old neighbor, Gomes allegedly entered another apartment and a**aulted a 66-year-old woman. Her family members managed to get out of the residence and call for help.
Both victims received medical attention at Souza Aguiar Municipal Hospital.
The younger woman was later discharged, while the elderly victim remained hospitalized in stable condition, according to the latest reports.
Authorities have not released further details about the injuries suffered by either woman.
Following the incident, police officers from the 6th Military Police Battalion and municipal guard agents arrived at the condominium after receiving reports of the violence.
However, Gomes allegedly resisted their attempts to restrain him. According to the police report, he applied an arm lock to a municipal guard before trying to grab a military police officer's firearm.
Officers first attempted to subdue him with a stun g*n, but the device reportedly malfunctioned. As Gomes continued resisting, police s*ot him in the legs.
Even after being wounded, he allegedly tried to attack another officer and attempted to climb the stairs. Officers eventually managed to restrain him after using a stun g*n again.
Reports also stated that Gomes remained aggressive after being handcuffed. To prevent him from attacking anyone else, guards reportedly tied him to an iron gate near the building's entrance.
He was then taken to Souza Aguiar Municipal Hospital for medical treatment.
The court ordered the suspect's preventive detention as he faces attempted femicide charges
Hours after the incident, police requested Gomes's preventive detention. The court approved the request, and officers carried out the arrest at the condominium the following morning.
He was later transferred to the Benfica prison.
Gomes is expected to face charges including attempted femicide, threats, trespassing, bodily harm, and resisting arrest. The 18th Police Precinct in Praça da Bandeira is investigating the case.
Authorities have not yet released a detailed account of the suspect's motive. It also remains unclear what triggered his alleged outburst inside his apartment before he entered the neighbors' homes.
Social media users reacted with anger and disbelief, calling for capital punishment
One person wrote, “It surprises me that the victims of men's outbursts are always women. They never lose it on other guys; they always go after women”
Another called the suspect a danger to society, commenting, “This s**mbag can't live in society.”
The elevator footage also left people deeply disturbed. One comment read, “This photo is one of the cruelest things I’ve ever seen,” while another user described the suspect's expression as frightening.
Some commenters called for severe punishment.
One person wrote, “Honestly? This guy deserved the d**th penalty. That was a clear attempt at m**der. At the very least, he should spend 30 years in prison and come out without both legs, so he can never walk again or receive benefits for it. He should be condemned for the rest of his life.”
Others criticized what they viewed as lenient laws and questioned whether the suspect would face meaningful consequences.
“What makes me sad is that our laws are flawed and lenient, because a guy like that doesn't deserve to see the light of day. They need to take that bully who likes throwing punches and find someone his own size. Coward!” one person wrote.
One more raised concerns, saying, “This kind of case will always be chalked up to “mental illness”, “he was on d**gs”, “it’s hormones,” and the fact that he’s a fighter. It’s never about how much cruelty and hatred these men have for women.
"What a loser," wrote one netizen
