Santa Claus runs into heavy flak over Rio Janeiro

Post by **Sea Skimmer** » 2007-12-18 07:16pm

By heavy I of course mean exceedingly light, but the deflection shooting skills of those Rio gangs puts the anti accuracy style of American intercity thugs to shame

Brazilian Santa escapes gunfire
By Gary Duffy
BBC News, Sao Paulo

Drug traffickers in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, have opened fire on a helicopter carrying a Santa Claus to one of the city's shanty towns.

No one was hurt and it is thought the gunmen believed the helicopter belonged to the police.

The helicopter was taking an actor dressed as Santa Claus to a Christmas party in the favela of Nova Mare when it came under fire.

Two bullet holes were found in the fuselage when it returned to base.

The police said it was only a matter of luck that no one was hurt.

Presents delivered

The helicopter was flying over the shanty town of Vila do Joao when the attack happened and it is believed the drug traffickers mistook it for a police helicopter.

The Santa later returned to Nova Mare by car to deliver his presents, where more than 1,000 children and parents were still waiting for his arrival.

The actor told Brazil's TV Globo that he feared there was going to be a crash, but when he saw that the pilot remained calm and that the helicopter was flying normally, he stopped worrying.

The president of the local residents' association said the children were very sad as they had expected Santa to arrive by helicopter.

There are more than 700 favelas in Rio Janeiro, most of which are controlled by drug gangs.

Earlier this year, a police officer was shot and killed as he travelled in a helicopter over one of the city's shanty towns.
Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/a ... 150372.stm

Published: 2007/12/18 18:01:04 GMT

© BBC MMVII

Post by **The Yosemite Bear** » 2007-12-18 07:38pm

well we know whose on the "Naughty" list this year.

Nieztchean Uber-Amoeba · Post by **Nieztchean Uber-Amoeba** » 2007-12-18 07:59pm

Don't worry. I'm sure NORAD will get him this year. If not, I hear the Russians are preparing their own counter-measures?

At least the Brazilians have got the right Spirit.

FedRebel · Post by **FedRebel** » 2007-12-18 11:46pm

Nieztchean Uber-Amoeba wrote:Don't worry. I'm sure NORAD will get him this year. If not, I hear the Russians are preparing their own counter-measures?

Doesn't Santa work with NORAD?

...what with that whole Christmas hotline typo mess quite a while back

In fact I believe that out of sympathy for the poor little kids who got Cheyenne Mountain instead of Santa's workshop they decided to set up a hotline of their own which evolved into a website they run that tracks Santa's journey.

Post by **Darth Wong** » 2007-12-18 11:58pm

Bill O'Reilly's War on Santa has clearly been kicked up another notch. It's Jesus versus Santa, boys and girls! Pick your side and pass the ammunition!

Post by **The Yosemite Bear** » 2007-12-19 01:20am

so the neocon's energy plan is to use all the coal they are going to get from santa?

CorSec · Post by **CorSec** » 2007-12-19 06:25am

Wow. That beats the hell out of Philadelphia fans throwing ice-balls at Santa one year.

Sounds like it's time for Futurama Santa to come a callin'.