2022 Vitória school attack
Failed school attack using crossbows in Vitória, Brazil.
The 2022 Vitória school attack occurred on 19 August 2022 at the Municipal School of Fundamental Teaching Éber Louzada Zippinotti in Vitória, Espírito Santo, Brazil. An 18-year-old former student, Henrique Lira Trad, attacked teachers, coordinators and students with a variety of weapons, including crossbows, knives and Molotov cocktails, before being tackled and restrained by a physical education teacher and later arrested. The attack is notable for its use of multiple crossbows and for being part of a rise in school attacks in Brazil since 2022.
Quick Facts
- Location
- Vitória, Espírito Santo, Brazil
- Date
- 19 August 2022
- Time
- 2:00 p.m.
- Target
- Escola Municipal de Ensino Fundamental Eber Louzada Zippinotti
- Fatalities
- 0
- Injuries
- 3
- Perpetrator
- Henrique Lira Trad
- Motive
- Retaliation for bullying / Suicidal ideation / Suzano massacre copycat crime
- Charges
- Attempted qualified murder (5 counts) / Illegal constraint against a minor (1 count)
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Henrique Lira Trad was raised in a family with a strong military tradition; both his father and grandfather were members of the Brazilian Armed Forces. He was characterized as an introvert interested in computers and online games. During his time at the school, he was reportedly bullied and organized the attack as revenge, beginning planning in 2019 after being inspired by the Suzano massacre. In the months before the attack, he showed extreme introverted behavior, spent nearly every waking hour online, dressed in all-black clothing, and showed interest in Adolf Hitler. He spent around 2,000 R$ on supplies and weapons, all bought online. On the day of the attack, he played the Japanese role-playing video game Morimiya Middle School Shooting for multiple hours before taking an Uber to the school.
Reader's Guide
The 2022 Vitória school attack is significant as one of the first in a wave of school attacks in Brazil that became more frequent after 2022. Analysts linked these incidents to access to violent content on social media, extremist ideologies, political polarization, and weakened social bonds among youth. The attack failed largely due to the actions of students and staff: a 10-year-old child kicked the crossbow from Trad's hands, a school coordinator pushed him out of a classroom, and a physical education teacher tackled him. Trad was then tied up by an off-duty officer until police arrived. The attack's aftermath included the implementation of a panic button at the school. One month later, a 14-year-old student in Barreiras, Bahia, who was an online acquaintance of Trad on Discord, carried out a separate school shooting, having studied the weaknesses of Trad's failed attack. Trad's mother later gave interviews warning other parents about warning factors such as sudden emotional coldness and social isolation.
Did You Know?
- Trad brought three crossbows to the attack: one recurve crossbow and two pistol crossbows.
- A 10-year-old child kicked the crossbow out of Trad's hands, causing it to fire and graze the child's face.
- Trad referenced the Perm State University shooter while being restrained, saying 'Wow, what a fucking failure, even Timur Bekmansurov was better than me.'
- Trad's father was charged with procedural fraud for destroying his son's cell phone hours after the attack.
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