SAO PAULO — Two explosions outside Brazil's Supreme Court on Wednesday killed a man and forced the justices and staff to evacuate the building in the capital of Brasilia. The court said in a statement that two very strong blasts were heard at about 7:30 p.m.
local time, shortly after Wednesday's session finished. It added that all the justices and staff left the building safely after the incident. Local firefighters confirmed that one man died at the scene, but did not identify him.
Celina Leão, the lieutenant governor of Brazil's federal district, recommended that Congress be closed on Thursday to avoid new risks. She said police believe the man who died caused the explosions. "It could have been a lone wolf, like others we've seen around the world," Leão said in a news conference.
"We are considering it as a suicide because there was only one victim. But investigations will show if that was indeed the case." Leão added only forensics will be able to identify the body, which remained outside the Supreme Court for two hours after the incident.
Local media reported that the blasts took place with 20 seconds between the first and the second explosions. The incident took place in Brasilia's Three Powers Plaza, an area where Brazil's main government buildings, including the Supreme Court, Congress and presidential palace, are located. President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva was not in the neighboring presidential palace at the time of the blasts, said spokesman José Chris.