The health condition of Juliana Leite Rangel, 26 years old, who was shot in the head with a rifle by agents of the Federal Highway Police (PRF), on Tuesday night (24), went from very serious to serious. The young woman has been hospitalized at the Adão Pereira Nunes Municipalized Hospital (HMAPN), in Duque de Caxias, since the night she was hit. 
The city hall, through the Municipal Health Department and hospital management, reported that the change in the situation was due to clinical improvement in the last 24 hours, with vasoactive drugs suspended and maintaining stability. According to the medical bulletin released early this Sunday afternoon (29), Juliana Rangel suffered a gunshot wound to the skull.
The hospital also reported that the young woman’s condition allows the reduction of sedation to evaluate neurological stimuli, but it is still considered delicate.
“It is not yet possible to completely assess the level of consciousness or assess possible sequelae. The patient remains hospitalized in the unit’s ICU, on mechanical ventilation (intubated) and monitored by the neurosurgery service, together with a multidisciplinary team”, concluded the bulletin.
The victim was going with his family of five to spend Christmas at his relatives’ house in Itaipu, Niterói, metropolitan region of Rio de Janeiro, when the car was hit by several shots fired by PRF agents, near Duque de Caxias, around 9 pm on the 24th, Christmas Eve.
Investigation
On Thursday (26), the Federal Public Ministry (MPF) reported having initiated Criminal Investigative Procedure.
The Public Prosecutor, Eduardo Santos de Oliveira Benones, asked for steps to be taken to “collect information, documents and other elements capable of directing and defining the line of action of this ministerial body in the case presented here”.
In the text, he pointed out that the 26-year-old was not the only victim, as her father Alexandre was also shot.
Benones also requested the Federal Highway Police Superintendence, in Rio, to identify the federal highway police officers involved in the incident and the identification of those responsible for the shooting, in addition to the immediate removal of the agents who were in the vehicles.
The prosecutor also ordered the collection and safekeeping of the weapons that were in the possession of the police officers involved, “regardless of whether they were used or not, to carry out forensic investigations”.
The case is being investigated by the Federal Police. Although it does not give details of the investigations, the PF reported that a team was at the location where the episode occurred to “inspect the location, collect statements from federal highway police officers and victims, in addition to seizing weapons for analysis by the criminal technical expert. ”, as reported in a note released on Wednesday (25).
In an interview with Reporter Brazilfrom the TV Brasilbroadcaster of Brazilian Communication Company (EBC), the general director of the PRF, Antônio Fernando Souza Oliveira, said last Thursday (26) that the corporation investigates all cases of excesses during police approaches made by its agents.
The case occurred after the federal government published a decree to regulate the use of force during police operationswhich establishes guidelines for the gradual use of weapons to prevent police violence across the country
According to the decree, the use of a firearm must be done as a “last resort” measure. In this way, weapons can only be used when other resources of “less intensity are not sufficient to achieve the intended legal objectives”.
“The police cannot fight crime by committing crimes. The federal police need to set an example for the other police forces”, pointed out the Minister of Justice and Public Security, Ricardo Lewandowski, in a statement released by the ministry’s office after the episode.
