In a case that has captivated Brazil, Lieutenant Henrique Otávio Oliveira Velozo, 34, will soon face a jury trial where he plans to argue that he killed world-renowned jiu-jitsu champion Leandro Lo in self-defense. The incident occurred on August 7, 2022, during a music show at Esporte Clube Sírio in São Paulo’s South Zone.
According to Velozo‘s testimony obtained by O GLOBO, the officer claims Lo had suddenly attacked him with a grappling move known as a “baiana,” (a double leg takedown) followed by a chokehold that caused him to lose consciousness. Upon regaining awareness, Velozo stated he was still under physical restraint by Lo and, fearing another attack, drew his weapon and fired once.
“I didn’t mean to kill. I shot to protect my life,”
he testified during an evidentiary hearing.
The officer, a member of Rota (Rondas Ostensivas Tobias de Aguiar), an elite unit of São Paulo’s Military Police, also mentioned a previous dispute with Lo‘s group of fighters at another event. An audio recording from the case files indicates Lo was familiar with Velozo from a prior disagreement. In this recording, Bruno Nobete Miranda, 40, detailed an incident where Velozo had identified himself as a police officer during a confrontation at a venue called Mahal.
Prosecutor Romeu Galiano Zanelli Júnior presents a starkly different account, alleging Velozo executed Lo out of revenge and humiliation. According to the prosecution’s version, around 2:40 a.m., Velozo began provoking Lo‘s friends by taking items from their table. When Lo briefly restrained him with a leg lock, the lieutenant retreated but allegedly as a tactical move.
Moments later, the prosecution contends, Velozo approached from behind armed with a Glock G22 .40 caliber pistol and shot Lo in the forehead without warning. Witnesses reported hearing Velozo say
“I’m going to kill you”
before firing, and claim he subsequently kicked Lo twice in the face.
In the ensuing chaos, Velozo fled across the dance floor and left the club. Court documents state he spent the remainder of the night at Bahamas Nightclub before going to a motel with a woman who later testified that he remained calm and never mentioned the incident. The following day, as news of the fighter’s death spread, Velozo turned himself in to the Military Police Internal Affairs Unit under pressure from family members.
The prosecution is expected to highlight what they consider a significant contradiction in Velozo‘s testimony that undermines his self-defense claim. Initially, he stated both men were standing during the shooting, but later claimed he fired to escape a “baiana” technique—a move that typically involves the attacker crouching or moving downward to grab the opponent’s legs. This discrepancy would make a straight-line shot to the forehead, as indicated by forensic evidence, implausible. Velozo later added that he fired because he feared Lo would take his weapon, justifying the close-range shot as standard police protocol in crowded situations.
Velozo‘s history includes a prior military court prosecution for contempt and violence against a subordinate. Though initially acquitted, he was later convicted on appeal and sentenced to an open prison term—a fact he claims he only discovered after his arrest for Lo‘s shooting. His record also shows administrative sanctions, including a three-day disciplinary confinement. The prosecution plans to use these precedents to argue that Velozo demonstrates behavior incompatible with police duties.
Judge Roberto Zanichelli Cintra of the 1st Jury Court, in his indictment decision, found sufficient evidence to bring Velozo to trial. The judge determined that Velozo had acted coldly with vengeful motives after feeling humiliated by Lo‘s earlier restraint. The shot, allegedly fired covertly while Lo was distracted, gave the victim no opportunity to defend himself.
The trial, scheduled for May 22–23, will proceed on charges of triple-qualified homicide—for vile motive, concealment, and methods that prevented victim defense—plus endangering others by firing in a crowded venue.
Autopsy findings confirmed the shot was fired at close range, with gunpowder residue on Lo‘s forehead. The bullet traversed his brain and lodged at the skull base. Though rushed to hospital, Lo did not survive. Velozo maintains the shot was fired from approximately five feet away.
Despite the murder charge, Velozo continues to receive his $2,160 salary following a ruling by Supreme Court Justice André Mendonça. Three days after the incident, São Paulo authorities had suspended his pay under state decree 260/1970, which designates imprisoned public servants as inactive. Then-governor Rodrigo Garcia expressed certainty about Velozo‘s eventual dismissal. The suspension lasted nine months until April 2025, when the Supreme Court deemed it unconstitutional for violating presumption of innocence and salary protection principles, overturning a previous São Paulo Court of Justice decision.
When contacted by O GLOBO, attorney Adriano Salles Vani, representing Lo‘s family, declined comment citing confidentiality. Velozo‘s lawyer, Cláudio Dalledone Júnior, similarly refrained from commenting.
