A police raid on a crime gang in Brazil dramatically escalated when a cop was shot in the head while co-piloting a helicopter over a Rio de Janeiro favela on Thursday.

Civil Police officer Felipe Monteiro, 45, was flying over Vila Aliança, a slum on the west side of the city, when gang members opened fire on the aircraft.

Monteiro was rushed to Miguel Couto Municipal Hospital for surgery. He remains in serious condition.

The police officer piloting the aircraft was not injured and managed to land on a soccer field without incident.

A law enforcement agent with knowledge of the investigation told O Globo newspaper that the bullet went through a blind spot in the windshield before striking Monteiro. 

Monteiro is the 25th law enforcement agent shot in Rio de Janeiro in 2025, according to Fogo Cruzado institute. 

Video footage filmed by bystanders captured the sound of heavy gunfire, as well as fires set on streets to prevent cops on the ground from advancing.

The Rio de Janeiro Civil Police said in a statement that the agents were participating in an operation targeting an auto theft gang that operates out of Vila Aliança.

Police investigators found that the gang would transport the stolen vans back to the slum, where they would take them apart and sell the parts.

The gang’s activity has been a tough blow for business that attract tourists on the west side, which reported losing $880,000 in trade 2024. 

Authorities have so far arrested six people as part of the ongoing operation. 

‘A vital instrument for ensuring the safety of officers and the public was once again the target of a cowardly act,’ the Rio de Janeiro Civil Police said.

‘Criminals attacked the Civil Police helicopter in yet another attempt to interrupt a police operation.’

While suspects commonly fire at police helicopters during such operations, there are no recent records of an officer actually being shot.

The Rio de Janeiro Civil Police also criticized an ongoing case in Brazil´s Supreme Court, in which justices have issued rulings restricting police raids in these communities. The measures were aimed at reducing high rates of police killings.

Since the case began moving through the court, police have been required to justify the need for armed operations in these areas. The use of helicopters has also been limited to cases of extreme necessity.

‘Aircraft that were previously used as shooting platforms and for fire support to protect police teams and the population have been practically banned from use,’ the police said.

Officials said that criminals are using military-grade weapons against helicopters and that attacks on police aircraft have tripled since the restrictions were imposed.