Death toll rises to 14 after bank robbery attempts in Brazil

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP):

Authorities said yesterday that two more people died after bank robbers attempted to carry out heists in northeastern Brazil, bringing the death toll to 14.

Brazil's military police said that the heavily armed group of assailants took hostages who were travelling on federal highway around 2 a.m. on Friday. The highway leads to Milagres, a city of 30,000 inhabitants in the state of Ceara.

Military police said the criminals were planning to take the hostages to two banks when they came under police fire and a shoot-out ensued.

They said eight suspected robbers and six hostages between the ages of 13 and 60 were killed.

Ceara is one of the most violent states in Brazil, with 59 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants.