In a shocking and disturbing turn of events, a son seeking revenge took matters into his own hands and gunned down his father’s accused killer in the middle of a courtroom. The incident took place during a jury session for the murder trial of Cristiano Alves Terto’s father in São José do Belmonte, Brazil.
Video footage from inside the courtroom captures the chilling moment when Terto storms towards Francisco Cleidivaldo Mariano De Moura, armed with a .38-caliber revolver. Terto unloads six shots into De Moura, who is seated only steps away from a juror and an attorney. Chaos erupts in the courtroom as jurors and members of the court scramble to safety while Terto unleashes his fury on De Moura.
Terto relentlessly fires shots at De Moura from point-blank range, even as De Moura tries to seek cover on the ground. The six-shooter is emptied, but Terto continues his assault by striking De Moura twice in the head with the gun. The video captures the panic and disbelief of two women who attempt to pull Terto away from his victim.
Following the shooting, Terto flees the courtroom but is chased down by police and arrested on suspicion of attempted murder. The incident occurred on November 29, but the video footage was only released to the public recently. Terto has since remained in prison.
De Moura survives the shooting and is rushed to a local hospital before being transferred to another facility around 250 miles away from the courthouse. The motive behind Terto’s revenge is rooted in the alleged murder of his father by De Moura. In October 2012, De Moura reportedly shot Francisco Alves after he confronted him about a missing farm animal. Alves had told De Moura to leave his property, which allegedly led to a confrontation that ended with Alves being shot in the abdomen. Alves succumbed to his injuries 18 days later.
De Moura fled to another city but was eventually captured by police. The trial for the murder of Alves has been delayed for nearly 12 years, and it remains unclear when it will continue. Meanwhile, De Moura is described as “alive and free” following the courtroom shooting involving Terto.
This shocking incident highlights the depths of grief and anger that can drive individuals to seek their own form of justice. It serves as a reminder of the importance of a fair and impartial legal system to ensure that such acts of revenge are not taken into one’s own hands. The incident has left the Brazilian community shocked and questioning the effectiveness of their justice system as they await further developments in both cases.
