'Cinema Killer' free: On the streets 25 years after the massacre that shook Brezilya

Former medical student Mateus da Costa Meira is remembered for the bloody attack he carried out in 1999 at the Morumbi Shopping movie theater in São Paulo, Brezilya. Mateus, who was 24 years old at the time of the incident, opened fire on the audience with a submachine gun during a screening of the movie Fight Club, killing three people and injuring nine. During the trial process, the defense claimed that the suspect lacked criminal capacity due to mental illnesses and drug use, but the medical panel rejected this theory, determining that the attack was carefully planned. Initially sentenced to 120 years in prison in the first trial, Mateus's sentence was later reduced to 48 years by the São Paulo Justice Palace. However, this incident has gone down in history as one of the most violent events to occur in a shopping mall in Brezilya's history.

After entering prison, Mateus was transferred to the Lemos Brito Prison in Salvador to be close to his family. During his time there, in 2009, he began to be tried for a new crime in which he attempted to kill his cellmate with scissors. The forensic examination conducted following this incident determined that the suspect exhibited a severe and chronic state of schizophrenia. Consequently, in 2011, the Court ruled that he was not of sound mind, replacing his prison sentence with a security measure. With this decision, Mateus was admitted to the Forensic Observation and Psychiatric Treatment Hospital in Salvador and kept in a closed institution for thirteen years.

Following an approximately quarter-century treatment and observation process, a significant change occurred in Mateus's status in September 2024. New medical evaluations determined that he no longer posed a direct threat, approving his conditional release. The judiciary imposed strict rules in its decision, such as continuing psychiatric treatment, regularly taking prescribed medications, and staying away from alcohol and drugs. Additionally, it was mandated that he remain under house arrest at night and stay away from bars and entertainment venues. However, although the court decision stipulated that he should live with his family, information reflected in the press revealed that he lives alone in an apartment in Salvador.

According to current news, Mateus's behavior following his release has caused great unease in society. The former prisoner, who is reported to be frequently seen at Shopping Barra in the capital Salvador, has allegedly visited cafes, bookstores, and even movie theaters. This situation has created intense concern and security anxiety among shopkeepers and visitors in the area. Many people have started to hesitate to go to the shopping mall, fearing that the brutality he committed in the past might be repeated. Furthermore, his publication of a digital book describing his crime has also drawn public backlash.

The Prosecutor's Office of the Brezilya State of Bahia objected to the decision allowing his release from the hospital following these developments. In the grounds for the objection, it was emphasized that the convict's wandering in crowded and enclosed spaces like shopping malls posed a serious risk to public health. Despite this, Mateus currently continues to live freely under supervision. If a new forensic report is prepared to justify the prosecution's concerns, the judge may consider returning the convict to the hospital. All these developments bring the delicate balance between the reintegration of forensic psychiatric patients into society and public security to the Brezilya agenda.