Visitors to Mirante Dona Marta are surprised by gunfire and are stranded in the Santa Marta community
Around 60 people, including tourists and visitors, faced a night of apprehension at Mirante Dona Marta, in Botafogo, South Zone of Rio, this Tuesday (23). The group was caught in the middle of a strong shootout that broke out in the Santa Marta community, neighboring the famous observation point.
The action began around 4am, when civil police officers from Rio de Janeiro entered the town. The operation, called Containment, aims to contain the territorial advance of Comando Vermelho (CV) and dismantle the financial base of the criminal organization.
Ari Kaye, a photographer present at the overlook during the police raid, described the situation as one of the most violent he had ever witnessed in the area.
Recognized for its spectacular view, Mirante Dona Marta is among the most popular places for visitors in the capital of Rio de Janeiro, offering a privileged view of landmarks such as Christ the Redeemer, Sugarloaf Mountain and Guanabara Bay.
When the clashes began, people contemplating the Rio landscape were forced to seek protection. Intense gunfire echoed across several parts of Botafogo, generating fear among tourists and local residents, with reports of additional explosions during the action.
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🚨🚔🇧🇷 Operação Contenção mira avanço do CV no Santa Marta e desencadeia tiroteio em Botafogo
— Sputnik Brasil (@sputnik_brasil) June 23, 2026
👉 A Polícia Civil do Rio de Janeiro realizou nesta terça-feira (23) mais uma fase da Operação Contenção, voltada a frear a expansão territorial e a estrutura financeira do Comando… pic.twitter.com/Uw3Nb08LWF
“We observed a lot of rifle fire, grenades, bombs, and two helicopters patrolled the community at low altitude. In my years of experience, I have never witnessed anything so intense,” declared Ari. He added that “tourists of different nationalities, such as Argentines and Chileans, were in a state of despair. It is an extremely unpleasant experience for those who live here, a feeling of total insecurity.”
Photographer’s statement describes moments of panic at the tourist spot
In April this year, a similar scenario occurred at Morro Dois Irmãos, in Vidigal, also in Rio’s South Zone, where more than 200 tourists were prevented from getting off during a police raid in the region.
The shots erupted while groups of visitors were enjoying the sunrise, a time of great demand for the trail that leads to the top of the hill.
