Children, Women Among Brazilian Nightclub Death Toll

Gunmen opened fire in a Brazilian nightclub, on Saturday, killing at least 14 people. The club is just outside of Fortaleza.

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The attackers, who reportedly traveled in three vehicles, stormed the Forro do Gago club located in northeastern region of the country at about midnight. Eyewitnesses, Sky News said, recounted that the assault lasted half-an-hour.

A 12-year-old is among several people who were transported to the hospital. Two other minors were also among the dead. A CNN report stated that security officials said eight women died at the club near Fortaleza – a spot which is frequented by tourist.

State security chief for Ceara, Andre Costa, confirmed the casualties and the detainment of one suspect, in a press conference.

"There is no reason for panic and fear," Costa said, according to Globo. "It is a one-off event, as occurs all over the world, with 50 or 60 deaths." Costa added that the police could not have done anything to stop it. "It's this kind of thing that happens even in countries like the United States," he said.

According to local media, the attackers belong to a drug-trafficking gang. However, authorities said the motive remains unknown.

Last year, there were more than 5,000 murders in Ceara, a 50 percent increase over 2016. Overall, Brazil had over 61,000 homicides in the same year. According to the research group Brazilian Public Security Forum, the South American country has an average of seven homicides per hour – a woman is killed every two hours.

A 2015 nightclub shooting, which claimed the lives of 11 people, previously held the record for the state's deadliest shooting.