Brazilian police helicopter co-pilot shot during Rio operation against van theft gang

SAO PAULO — A civil police officer co-piloting a helicopter was shot in the head on Thursday while authorities conducted an operation in Rio de Janeiro, authorities said.

The officer was working as part of a raid against a criminal group specializing in van thefts in the western region of the Brazilian city. He was taken to a local hospital, according to police. Local media reported that the officer was in critical condition, but police haven't confirmed that.

The other pilot was uninjured and the police helicopter, which was providing air support, didn't crash.

While suspects commonly fire at police helicopters during such operations, there are no recent records of an officer actually being shot.

In a bid to thwart Thursday's police operation on the ground, barricades were set up to prevent officers from entering the working-class community, commonly known as a favela, according to local news outlet G1.

In a statement, Rio de Janeiro police criticized an ongoing case in Brazil’s Supreme Court, in which justices have issued rulings restricting police raids in these communities. The measures were aimed at reducing high rates of police killings.

Since the case began moving through the court, police have been required to justify the need for armed operations in these areas. The use of helicopters has also been limited to cases of extreme necessity.

“Aircraft that were previously used as shooting platforms and for fire support to protect police teams and the population have been practically banned from use,” police said in a statement on Thursday.

Officials said that criminals are using military-grade weapons against helicopters and that attacks on police aircraft have tripled since the restrictions were imposed.