Bus 174

On a warm spring afternoon in June, 2000, an armed Brazilian man named Sandro do Nascimento stepped on a commuter bus and, right outside the city's botanical gardens, triggered one of the tensest police standoffs in Rio de Janeiro's history. Racing to what might have begun as a misguided robbery attempt, police and SWAT teams soon found themselves having to deal with what quickly developed into a dangerous hostage situation; the heavy media coverage of the unfolding nightmare meant that much of the country remained on edge until the whole episode ended in sudden tragedy four hours later. But while it was originally speculated the gunman was simply a deranged addict w...