A wave of violence has left 27 people dead in the Brazilian state of Para, a bloodletting authorities say might have been provoked by the murder of a police officer. The killings took place over a daylong stretch from Friday into Saturday, and included what authorities said appeared to be several execution-style murders.
A government statement said officials are investigating whether the deadly violence - centered mostly in and around the city of Belem - was linked to the death of Rafael da Silva Costa, an officer fatally shot early Friday during a police operation on the city outskirts.