Watch: 200 tourists trapped atop Rio de Janeiro’s iconic peak as police launch gang raid

The raid involved prosecutors from Bahia along with Civil Police forces from both Bahia and Rio de Janeiro.

As gunshots echoed from below, guides instructed the tourists to stay low and remain where they were for safety, preventing anyone from descending the trail.

The now-viral video showed dozens of people sitting on the ground at the summit. At the same time, a police helicopter circled overhead, and gunfire could be heard in the background.

“We had waited for sunrise and, suddenly, the guides asked us to sit down, and we started hearing gunshots,” Portuguese tourist Matilda Oliveiro told TV Globo. “It’s always scary, but it was controlled as much as possible.”

Watch here:

INSANE: 200 tourists trapped on Morro Dois Irmãos in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, after police reportedly got into a firefight with drug gang Comando Vermelho. pic.twitter.com/7zzewH5ZmK

— Daily Loud (@DailyLoud) April 20, 2026

The video has since gone viral, drawing a wave of reactions. “200 tourists trapped is no small situation; that’s a full-scale evacuation problem in an area that’s already difficult to access,” a user wrote. “Countries like this are terrible; you literally have to walk on eggshells. Jamaica, they’ll rob you if you wander off the resort, Mexico, you’ll pay the cartel a tax essentially, i mean the list goes on,” another user commented.