Brazil police officer killed in Rio ahead of World Cup

A Brazilian police officer has been killed in Rio de Janeiro ahead of the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

According to Press TV, the 44-year-old officer was shot in the throat in one of the slums of the city on Saturday.

Police sources said the unnamed officer was shot in an exchange of fire with two young men who fled the scene on a motorcycle.

The fatal shooting came a day after the Brazilian government sent federal troops to Rio de Janeiro to contain a spate of deadly attacks ahead of the sport event, which is scheduled to kick off in June.

The federal troops were deployed after Rio state governor Sergio Cabral held emergency talks with President Dilma Rousseff, asking her to provide army support for the Rio Police Department.

Fresh anti-World Cup protests have been held in several other Brazilian cities.

Some 2,000 Brazilians reportedly took to the streets in Sao Paulo for the third time in recent months to protest against the football tournament.
The demonstration was focused on the construction costs of the stadiums and the poor conditions of public transportation.