Gunmen near a slum in Rio de Janeiro ambushed three Swedish tourists and held one captive on Wednesday. None of the tourists were hurt, but the incident heightened fears about crime in Olympics host city just before the summer games are set to kick off.
The tourists were headed to downtown Rio from a spot near the Olympic Park, the Washington Post reports, when they stopped to take photos near the Complexo do Lins slum. A gunman captured one of the tourists, and the other two managed to escape and ask the police for help. Police later found the third tourist.
Brazil has sent 88,000 soldiers to ensure safety during the Olympics, and Rio’s mayor recently told TIME he believes his city will be “the safest place in the world to come in August.”
But with the Olympics set to begin Friday, Rio is still struggling with security and environmental issues that could threaten the success of the games. Earlier this summer, Brazilian first responders protested at Rio’s airport and warned visitors they would not be safe.
- Essay: The Tyre Nichols Videos Demand Solemnity, Not Sensationalism
- For People With Disabilities, Losing Abortion Access Can Be a Matter of Life or Death
- Inside the Stealth Efforts to Smuggle Starlink Internet Into Iran
- Natasha Lyonne on Poker Face and Creating Characters Who Subvert Leading-Lady Tropes
- How to Help the Victims and Community After the Monterey Park Shooting
- Why Grocery Staples Are So Expensive Right Now
- Quantum Computers Could Solve Countless Problems—and Create a Lot of New Ones
- Where to Watch All of the 2023 Oscar Nominees
- How to Be Mindful if You Hate Meditating
