A four-year-old Brazilian boy was tragically shot dead at his birthday party by a gate-crasher who claimed his weapon accidentally fell from his waistband and fired as it hit the ground.
But many have been left doubting this version of events after witnesses alleged they saw the perpetrator, Pedro Pedidor, 21, arguing with the little boy, Enzo Maia, before hugging him then inexplicably shooting him at point blank range in the chest on Sunday evening.
Photos taken minutes before he died show Enzo grinning happily holding a toy figure of the Incredible Hulk and posing beside the cartoon character-themed decorations at his home.
Enzo, 4, was tragically shot dead at his birthday party by a gate-crasher who claimed his weapon accidentally fell from his waistband and fired as it hit the ground
Photos taken minutes before he died show Enzo grinning happily holding a toy figure of the Incredible Hulk and posing beside the cartoon character-themed decorations at his home
Suspect Pedro Pedidor, 21, allegedly gatecrashed the party with a friend before shooting the boy dead
The child’s mother, Vanessa, 30, said the suspect, who appeared to be drunk, was not an invited guest but had arrived with a friend at the celebrations held in Baixada Fluminense, a municipality in Rio de Janeiro.
She said: ‘We can’t understand what happened, it makes no sense that someone should kill my innocent child for no apparent reason. We are totally bewildered and destroyed by this.’
A family video shows Enzo’s last moments as he stood in front of his birthday cake beside his mum, beaming and clapping while guests sang happy birthday to him.
The bullet hit the child in his chest piercing his ‘favourite’ Incredible Hulk t-shirt
The heartbroken mother of two said: ‘Enzo couldn’t wait for his birthday, he asked me every day for over a month ‘When is my birthday happening, mum? Has my birthday arrived yet? Why is it taking so long?’
The schoolboy had been excitedly anticipating his big day for weeks.
The heartbroken mother of two said: ‘Enzo couldn’t wait for his birthday, he asked me every day for over a month ‘When is my birthday happening, mum? Has my birthday arrived yet? Why is it taking so long?’
‘Now he’ll never see another birthday and we will have to live with the memory that he died in a senseless shooting on the day he was born.’
According to reports the shooting occurred just in front of the family’s residence. The suspect, an ex-soldier who had recently left the army, had apparently been playing a game of rough and tumble on the sofa with the little boy and his friends.
He had reportedly twisted Enzo’s arm and ‘barked as if giving military instructions’ that he should ‘shut up and take it’ when the child started crying.
Vanessa claimed: ‘I overheard Pedro telling Enzo roughly to stop crying so I intervened and warned him to leave the children alone.’
With hindsight, the grief-stricken mum now wishes she had insisted on the suspect leaving altogether.
The suspect had reportedly twisted Enzo’s arm and ‘barked as if giving military instructions’ that he should ‘shut up and take it’ when the child started crying
‘I didn’t want to spoil Enzo’s party by having a shouting match with the man, and it never occurred to me that anything like this would happen,’ she cried.
She dried her son’s eyes and calmed him down. Shortly after, Enzo went to play with other children on the road in front of the house and the accused allegedly followed him.
The distraught mum said that moments later she heard a gunshot and rushed out to find her son lying fatally wounded on the ground. The suspect was apparently trying to lift him up and shouting ‘get up’.
The bullet hit the child in his chest piercing his ‘favourite’ Incredible Hulk t-shirt.
Enzo’s dad, Douglas, who organised his son’s birthday celebrations, said Pedidor tried to make an escape during the confusion that ensued.
Pedidor (pictured) appeared in court on Tuesday charged with the illegal possession of a firearm and manslaughter and was remanded in custody
Enzo’s dad, Douglas, who organised his son’s birthday celebrations, said Pedidor tried to make an escape during the confusion that ensued
‘He tried to get away by jumping in his car and driving off but I saw what he was doing and I grabbed the car keys and the gun and held onto him until the police arrived.
‘People were urging me to shoot him, to kill him,’ he said.
‘But it is not in my nature to act with hate. I believe justice must take its course. I just kept asking him ‘What have you done? What did you do to my son? Why? Why?’
Witnesses claimed the suspect gave several conflicting versions of what happened.
‘At first he claimed that the gun fell and fired alone. Then he said he found the gun in front of the house,’ a relative said.
‘And then he said that Enzo tried to take his gun. After that he said Enzo tried to hug him and the gun went off. Nobody understands how this happened and there is no explanation that could possibly make any sense.’
The child was rushed to hospital accompanied by his mother but died from his injuries.
Chief inspector, Antônio Silvino. said investigators are examining the angle of the bullet and interviewing witnesses to piece together the sequence of events.
Pedidor appeared in court on Tuesday charged with the illegal possession of a firearm and manslaughter and was remanded in custody.