Police shot and killed a man with a knife who tried to enter a Latter-day Saint Missionary Training Center in Brazil, the Utah-based church said Wednesday.
“None of the missionaries or MTC staff were harmed,” according to Nei Garcia, director of public affairs in Brazil for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
A man “armed with a knife” entered the MTC in São Paulo early Wednesday morning, Garcia said in a statement. The man was detained by security guards until police arrived.
“At some point, when the intruder attempted to attack police, he was shot and killed by police,” Garcia said. “We are working closely with local authorities and are grateful for their efforts to respond and investigate."
Garcia went on to say, "We will also provide missionaries and staff with any needed support. We are grateful for the prayers and support that have been offered at this time both for the missionaries and the family of the individual who was killed.”
MTCs are boot camps, of sorts, where new missionaries undergo intensive language study and gospel grounding before embarking on their proselytizing service. In recent years, the church has been scaling back on these centers, closing them in places like Guatemala City and the Dominican Republic.
There now are 10 in the world, led by the flagship MTC in Provo.
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