The other pilot was uninjured and the police helicopter, which was providing air support, didn't crash.
While suspects commonly fire at police helicopters during such operations, there are no recent records of an officer actually being shot.
In a bid to thwart Thursday's police operation on the ground, barricades were set up to prevent officers from entering the working-class community, commonly known as a favela, according to local news outlet G1.
In a statement, Rio de Janeiro police criticized an ongoing case in Brazil's Supreme Court, in which justices have issued rulings restricting police raids in these communities. The measures were aimed at reducing high rates of police killings.
Since the case began moving through the court, police have been required to justify the need for armed operations in these areas. The use of helicopters has also been limited to cases of extreme necessity.
“Aircraft that were previously used as shooting platforms and for fire support to protect police teams and the population have been practically banned from use,” police said in a statement on Thursday.
Officials said that criminals are using military-grade weapons against helicopters and that attacks on police aircraft have tripled since the restrictions were imposed.
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