March 13, 2019, started like any other humid Wednesday in Suzano, a quiet industrial suburb on the outskirts of São Paulo. At the Professor Raul Brasil State School, students were enjoying their morning break, laughing and checking their phones. Then the white car pulled up. Most people think school shootings are a uniquely American phenomenon, but the Suzano high school shooting shattered that illusion for Brazil, leaving a scar on the national psyche that hasn't faded. It wasn't just a random act of violence; it was a calculated, dark performance that mirrored some of the most infamous tragedies in history.
Honestly, the details are still hard to stomach. Two former students, 17-year-old Guilherme Taucci Monteiro and 25-year-old Luiz Henrique de Castro, walked into the building they once attended and opened fire. They didn't just have a .38 caliber revolver. They brought a bow and arrow. They brought a hatchet. They even had a "look-alike" explosive device. It felt like something out of a twisted movie, but for the kids running for their lives, it was a terrifying reality.
The Timeline of the Suzano High School Shooting
Before they even reached the school, the violence began. Guilherme and Luiz stopped at a local car rental shop owned by Guilherme’s uncle, Jorge Moraes. They shot him. It was a cold, personal start to a day that would only get worse. They then drove the rented white Chevrolet Onix to the school, arriving right around 9:30 AM.
The timing was deliberate. Recess.
They entered the front door because they knew the layout. They knew where students would be gathered. In the CCTV footage that later leaked—and honestly, it's some of the most haunting footage you’ll ever see—you see Guilherme enter first. He looks calm. He pulls out the gun and starts shooting at a group of students standing near the entrance. Luiz follows him shortly after, carrying the melee weapons and a backpack.
A Scene of Chaos and Courage
The school’s cook, Silmara Cristina Silva de Moraes, became an unexpected hero that day. When she heard the shots and the screaming, she didn't just hide; she helped 50 students barricade themselves in the kitchen. They used a heavy stainless steel table to block the door. They stayed silent, praying, while the attackers banged on the outside.
Meanwhile, in the hallways, the carnage was devastating. Five students were killed on-site: Caio Oliveira, Claiton Antonio Ribeiro, Douglas Murilo Celestino, Kaio Lucas da Costa Lino, and Samuel Melquíades Silva de Oliveira. Two school officials, Marilena Ferreira Vieira Umezu and Eliana Regina de Oliveira Xavier, were also murdered while trying to manage the chaos.
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The police arrived within minutes. It was fast. Probably too fast for the shooters' plan. When the tactical police (FORÇA TÁTICA) closed in, Guilherme shot Luiz and then turned the gun on himself. It was over in less than 20 minutes, but the aftermath would last decades.
The Dark Influence of the "Deep Web" and Dogolachan
Why did they do it? That’s the question everyone asks. It wasn't just "bullying," though that’s the easy answer people like to give. Investigation into the Suzano high school shooting revealed a much darker rabbit hole involving imageboards and the "Deep Web." Specifically, a forum called Dogolachan.
This forum was a breeding ground for incel culture, misogyny, and white supremacy in Brazil. The shooters weren't working in a vacuum; they were actively seeking validation from an online community that idolized the Columbine shooters. They referred to the 1999 Colorado massacre as a "holy" event.
- They dressed like the Columbine shooters.
- They used similar tactics.
- They even posted "manifestos" or cryptic messages online before the attack.
The shooters wanted fame. They wanted to be part of a "high score" culture that exists in the darker corners of the internet. It’s a disturbing trend where mass shooters compete for notoriety. This wasn't just a Brazilian tragedy; it was a digital-age catastrophe that showed how radicalization can happen anywhere there's an internet connection.
Why Suzano Changed Brazil’s Gun Debate
Brazil has always had a complicated relationship with guns. At the time of the shooting, the government was actually pushing to loosen gun laws. President Jair Bolsonaro had recently signed a decree making it easier for "citizens of good standing" to own firearms.
The Suzano high school shooting threw a massive wrench into that political narrative.
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Critics argued that more guns would lead to more tragedies like Suzano. Proponents of the decree argued that if a teacher had been armed, the shooters could have been stopped sooner. It’s the same circular argument we see in the United States, but in Brazil, it felt new and raw.
The reality is that the .38 revolver used was obtained illegally. This highlights a massive issue in Brazil: the black market for firearms is so robust that "strict laws" often only affect those trying to follow them, while those intent on harm find a way regardless.
Mental Health and the "Invisible" Student
Let’s talk about Guilherme and Luiz for a second. They weren't "monsters" who appeared out of nowhere. They were dropouts. They were young men who had slipped through the cracks of the education system. Neighbors described them as quiet, maybe a bit odd, but "polite."
This is the scariest part for parents. The "quiet ones" are often the ones struggling the most. Brazil’s public school system, while robust in some areas, often lacks the psychological support staff needed to catch these red flags. There were no counselors at Raul Brasil checking in on former students who had suddenly disappeared from the rolls.
Misconceptions About the Attack
One big misconception is that this was purely about revenge against teachers. While two staff members died, the shooters fired indiscriminately at anyone in their path. It was an attack on the institution itself, not just specific individuals.
Another myth? That they were "geniuses" who planned a sophisticated heist. In reality, their plan was clumsy. They almost got stuck at the entrance. Their "explosives" were fake. They were two deeply disturbed individuals playing out a fantasy they found online. Calling them "masterminds" gives them a credit they don't deserve; they were simply opportunistic and cruel.
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The Long-Term Impact on Suzano
If you visit Suzano today, the school is still there. It’s been renovated. There are murals of the victims. But the atmosphere has changed. Security is tighter. There are cameras everywhere.
But cameras don't heal trauma.
The survivors, many of whom are now in their early 20s, still struggle with PTSD. Some couldn't return to school for years. The town of Suzano, once known mostly for its Japanese-Brazilian community and its paper industry, is now synonymous with this tragedy. That’s a heavy burden for a small community to carry.
Actionable Insights: How to Move Forward
We can't change what happened at the Suzano high school shooting, but we can look at what it teaches us about modern security and mental health. This isn't just about Brazil; it's about a global shift in how violence is "marketed" to young men online.
- Monitor Digital Footprints: Parents and educators need to understand what imageboards like 4chan or its regional variants (like the now-defunct Dogolachan) actually are. They aren't just "memes." They can be pipelines for radicalization.
- Focus on "Rejection Sensitivity": Many school shooters share a common trait—an inability to process rejection or perceived social failure. Schools need programs that focus on emotional intelligence, not just academic grades.
- Physical Security Isn't Enough: You can put up fences and metal detectors, but if a student (or former student) knows the "flow" of the school, they will find a gap. The best defense is a culture where students feel safe reporting "leaked" threats. In almost every one of these cases, the shooter told someone what they were going to do beforehand.
- De-platforming Hate: Since the shooting, Brazilian authorities have cracked down significantly on extremist forums. It's a game of cat and mouse, but making these "communities" harder to find saves lives.
The Suzano tragedy was a wake-up call for South America. It proved that no country is immune to the "Columbine effect." By understanding the intersection of mental health, online radicalization, and the specific failures in school security, we can at least hope to spot the next "white car" before it pulls up to the curb.
The victims of Raul Brasil deserve to be remembered not just for how they died, but for the lives they were supposed to lead. The best way to honor them is to ensure that "Suzano" remains a lesson, not a recurring headline. To do that, we have to stop looking at these events as "lone wolf" incidents and start seeing them as the systemic failures they actually are. Stop ignoring the quiet kids. Start paying attention to the forums. It sounds simple, but as Suzano showed us, the simplest oversights have the deadliest consequences.
Stay informed about local school safety protocols and don't hesitate to engage with school boards about their mental health resources. If you or someone you know is struggling, reach out to local crisis hotlines—these interventions are often the only thing standing between a dark thought and a tragic action. Efforts in Brazil have since moved toward a more integrated approach between the Ministry of Education and security forces to prevent the isolation that leads to such devastation. Supporting these community-based initiatives is the most practical step any citizen can take today.