13 children rescued, assailant dead in Brazil day care center hostage incident

SAO PAULO, Oct. 9 (Xinhua) -- Brazilian police killed a man on Friday after he held 13 children hostage with a knife at a day care center in Curitiba, the capital of the southern state of Parana, authorities said.

All the children were rescued unharmed. The state's public security department said police had tried to negotiate with the man for more than two hours before he was killed.

Police said the man broke into a municipal day care center in the Sao Braz neighborhood and held the children inside a classroom.

Officers cordoned off the surrounding area, while a special operations unit attempted to negotiate with him. A police helicopter supported the operation.

Police said children in other classrooms were evacuated safely.

Authorities did not specify whether the man had any connection with the children at the center. Local broadcaster Bandeirantes reported that he had written a letter about the attack.

City authorities said teams had been mobilized to provide psychological and medical support to the children and their families.