A pro-gun lawyer has been fatally shot by his own concealed weapon after going too near an MRI scanner despite warnings.
Leandro Mathias de Novaes, 40, had taken his mum for a scan at Laboratorio Cura in São Paulo, Brazil, on January 16.
Hospital workers warned the pair to remove all metal objects before going into the scanning room but the victim kept his handgun on him.
The magnetic field from the scanner pulled the lawyer's weapon from his waistband and it went off, hitting him in the stomach.
He was rushed toSão Luiz Morumbi Hospital but after three weeks in critical condition he died on February 6.
The victim worked as a lawyer but also shared pro-gun content to his 12,000 followers on TikTok and Instagram.
A spokesperson for the Order of Attorneys of Brazil in Cotia, São Paulo said: “It is with deep regret that OAB Cotia communicates to all fellow lawyers the unexpected loss of our dear friend and lawyer Dr Leandro Mathias de Novaes.
“We are sorry for the loss and we sympathise with his family in this moment of pain.”
A spokesperson for Laboratorio Cura said: “We would like to emphasise that all accident prevention protocols were followed by the Cura team, as is customary in all units.
“Both the patient and his companion were properly instructed regarding the procedures for accessing the examination room and warned about the removal of any and all metallic objects.”
The MRI facility said that both Novaes and his mother signed a form regarding safety protocols, but the victim failed to mention his handgun and entered the unit with it “by his own decision.”
Police confirmed that the weapon was registered to Novaes and that he had a valid license for it.
The number of guns in Brazil has surged sixfold since previous President Jair Bolsonaro began relaxing the rules.
Research from the Brazilian Public Security Forum, a non-governmental not-for-profit, found that 6,000 deaths could have been prevented if guns were not made more accessible.
In October 2022 images showing children dressed in military uniform with fake machine guns at a peace festival in Brazil sparked outrage online.
In the photos the children are seen attending the 36th Race for Peace event on October 12 at the Physical Education and Sports Centre of the Military Police of Rio de Janeiro State
They show a group of children dressed in military police uniform and handed a fake machine gun before being asked to walk in a ‘patrol’.
The Military Police of Rio de Janeiro State (PMERJ) said: “PMERJ held a special programme for Children's Day at the Physical Education and Sports Centre.
“Activities included music, gymkhana, and other attractions to animate the kids."
Many social media users were outraged by the video with one commenting: “They're messing around. Encouraging children to use weapons!”
Another commented: “Instead of teaching children about dairy education, it's teaching children to take a rifle...”
