Jiu-jitsu fighter Lucas Portela Fontana Gomes held in Tijuca attack case By Luís Henrique Costa
2 min read
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Lucas Portela Fontana Gomes, a 32-year-old jiu-jitsu fighter, was arrested in flagrante, the Brazilian term for an arrest made while the crime is taking place. He was detained after beating a woman inside a residential elevator on Avenida Maracanã, in the Tijuca neighborhood of Rio de Janeiro’s North Zone, in the early hours of November 5, 2026.
Security cameras recorded repeated punches, kicks and a choke hold against the victim, who suffered several injuries. Blood covered the elevator cabin after the attack.
The assault began after the woman tried to protect an elderly neighbor who was already being attacked by the same man inside the building. Her intervention put her in the path of the suspect.
Before the beating caught on camera, the suspect broke into several apartments and threatened residents in the hallways. Witnesses said he moved from floor to floor, forcing locks open.
Officers of the Civil Police of the State of Rio de Janeiro (PCERJ) located him at the scene and took him to the local police station to be booked. The arrest was carried out on the spot, and the suspect was not allowed to leave the building.
How the attack unfolded inside the Tijuca building
Footage from the building’s closed-circuit system shows the woman cornered inside the cabin. She received blows to her face and torso with almost no chance to escape.
Shouts and noise in the corridors drew neighbors out during the night. Medical staff gave the victim first aid as soon as police teams reached the building.
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Statements taken in the building say the man moved between floors and forced door locks before overpowering the first residents he found.
What police have confirmed and what comes next in court
- Suspect: Lucas Portela Fontana Gomes, 32, jiu-jitsu practitioner
- Location: residential building on Avenida Maracanã, Tijuca, Rio de Janeiro
- Case handled by: 18th Police Station (Praça da Bandeira)
- Crimes under investigation: attempted femicide, threats, home invasion, bodily injury and resisting arrest
- Court decision: a judge converted the arrest in flagrante into preventive detention for attempted femicide
Police are still hearing witnesses and gathering forensic reports on the injuries. The suspect remains in custody at the disposal of the Judiciary, and the Civil Police said the investigation may lead to his formal indictment.
