Brazilian hostage-taker shot dead

The hijacker threatened hostages with a revolver

The authorities in Brazil have begun an investigation into the bizarre end to a bus seige which left the gunman and one of the passengers dead.

The four-hour seige in Rio de Janiero came to an end when the hostage-taker descended the steps of the bus using a woman passenger as a human shield.

Several shots the rang out and both the armed man and his hostage fell to the ground behind a car.

However it is unclear whether the 20-year-old woman, who died later in hospital was shot by the gunman or the police.

The investigation will also try to discover why the hostage-taker, who was seen being arrrested unhurt, was later taken to hospital dead.

Speaking on Brazilian television, President Fernando Cardoso, said he was "appalled" by the incident and by "the fatal outcome for an innocent girl".

Some hostages managed to escape

Mr Cardoso criticised the Rio police for their handling of the incident.

He added that violence had reached an "unacceptable" level, and that "measures are urgently needed".

Police spokesman Colonel Nilson Girard later said that Rio police followed the appropriate procedure until one policeman hastily opened fire at the wrong time with an inadequate weapon.

Drama

The seige, which took place in a southern suburb of the city, was watched by millions on Brazilian television.

Throughout the stand-off, the gunman, who Mr Cardoso said was "apparently on drugs," appeared very nervous as he threatened two women with a revolver while other hostages crouched beneath their seats.

In one of the most dramatic turn of events, a shot was fired and it appeared the abductor had killed one of the hostages.

He made one young woman lie down on the floor of the bus, shot her in the leg and then made her lie still for an hour and a half, according to one of the hostages who later escaped out a window.

The same hostage said that she and the others had been beaten severely.

After the drama ended, police had to fire a shot into the air to disperse a hostile crowd seeking the abductor.

Such armed robberies are common on the city's bus network.