A police spokesman could not confirm the identity or age of those killed or whether a child of the shooter, who also remains unidentified, was among the victims.
A neighbor interviewed by the Globo television network said that he and family members heard blasts about a quarter to midnight but did not immediately recognize it as gunfire, not New Year fireworks.
Only when one of those shot ran into their property, bleeding and asking for help, did they realize that someone had been shooting. State police said they were called to the scene at 12:40 a.m. local time.
More about: