Brazilian comedian dies in Rio favela police shooting

RIO DE JANEIRO – Police in Brazil say a locally famous comedian and three other people have died following gunfire during a police operation in a Rio de Janeiro slum.

Police say they were met with gunfire during an operation in the Morro do Dende favela early Thursday, but it wasn’t immediately clear who shot Diego Buiu, known as “Bunitinho.” Rio state Gov. Wilson Witzel says there will be an investigation.

Bunitinho is most famous for social media posts and his association with the soccer team Flamengo. He has more than 400,000 followers on Instagram.

The incident comes at a moment when Brazilian police operations have caused protests.

On Sunday nine people attending a party died in a stampede during a police raid in Sao Paulo’s Paraisopolis favela. Local police denied any wrongdoing.