A 25-year-old man armed with a small axe killed four children between the ages of five and seven when he attacked a nursery in Brazil.
At least five children between the ages of three and five are also injured and have been taken to hospital. One is in a serious condition.
The man has been arrested in the southern city of Blumenau in the state of Santa Catarina. He turned himself in at a police station after the atrocity and did not appear to have any connection to the nursery.
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Employees and relatives stand outside the pre-school
Local security chief, Marcio Alberto Filippi, said the attacker scaled a wall to enter the private nursey, named Cantinho do Bom Pastor.
President of Brazil, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, called the attack a “monstrosity”, dubbing it an “unacceptable, absurd act of hate and cowardice” against “innocent, defenceless children” in a Twitter post.
Santa Catarina’s governor Jorginho Mello confirmed the killings in the city on his Twitter account, saying: “May God comfort the hearts of all families in this moment of deep pain.”
Amid rumours on social media of other potential attacks, Blumenau’s mayor, Mário Hildebrandt, said the city suspended classes and will declare a 30-day mourning period.
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Forensic technicians, ambulances and policemen outside the pre-school
Attacks on schools and nurseries are uncommon in Brazil but have occurred more often in recent years.
Last week, a 13-year-old student in Sao Paulo stabbed a teacher, killing her, and also wounded several others.
Blumenau, a city of 366,000 people, is famous for its annual Oktoberfest festival.
