Brazilian radio host killed after receiving threats

A Brazilian radio journalist was killed in the early hours of Nov. 10, making him the fourth journalist to be killed this year in Brazil.

Israel Gonçalves Silva had just dropped his children off to school when he was shot at least twice in the northeast town of Lagoa de Itaenga, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists.

Silva, who hosted the show "Open Microphone" on the local Radio Itaenga FM, had admitted on-air that he had received death threats because of his work, according to Portal Imprensa. The show was a platform for listeners to call-in about cases of corruption or wrongdoing by public officials, according to CPJ.

"He always butted heads with authorities and people would come up to him on the street and tell him he was going to die or that he better be careful because his life was in danger," said Edilson Gomes dos Santos in an interview with CPJ. The police were aware of these threats, Santos, who worked with Silva, said.

In August, two men entered Radio Liberdade FM's studio in the municipality of Camocim in northeast Brazil and shot Gleydson Carvalho while he was on-air. He died en route to the hospital. Seven people were charged with first-degree murder for his death Sept. 1.

Earlier in May, two journalists were killed in separate incidents less than a week apart. One was radio journalist Djalma Santos da Conceição and the other was blogger Evany José Metzker.

Conceição was kidnapped May 22, and police found his body May 23, which showed signs of torture — 15 bullet wounds all over his body, according to Portal Imprensa. His family said Conceição received threats "constantly."

Metzler's decapitated body was found by the police May 18, five days after he had been missing, according to Epoca. Metzler was a blogger who was investigating a prostitution ring in Catuji, a northeastern municipality.