Story By: Alex Cope, Sub Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: CEN

WARNING: EXPLICIT CONTENT

Video Credit: CEN

This is the moment a prisoner on day release from jail so he could register his newborn daughter with officials is chased on a bike by armed gunmen before crashing into a parked car and being shot dead.

The shocking incident occurred in the Ilha do Retiro neighbourhood in the city of Recife in the northeastern Brazilian state of Pernambuco and was recorded by CCTV cameras in the area.

Local media report Jeffberg Augusto da Silva was serving time for robbery in the semi-open Canhotinho prison and had been given permission from the Centre of Electronic Monitoring and Re-education to register his daughter at a notary office.

Pictures Credit: CEN

In the video, Silva, 30, can be seen speeding down the street on his motorbike when he loses control and crashes into a parked car.

The prisoner is sent flying into the air and crashes to the ground in a motionless heap when moments later a white car pulls up beside him.

Three masked men carrying firearms run out of the car towards Silva and open fire on him from point-blank range.

Another angle shows how the prisoner’s body collapses in on itself when they open fire and the gunmen then flee in the car.

Reports state the occupants of the car had opened fire on Silva earlier, causing him to ride his motorbike at excessive speed.

Local media report Silva died at the scene and an investigation has been launched into the incident.

Police sources state the initial hypothesis is the murder was motivated by a settling of accounts between Silva and a criminal gang. No arrests have been reported.

In January 2019, there were 305 murders in the state of Pernambuco, the lowest number in January in the state for four years.