School gate mum kills gunman: Off-duty armed policewoman who was walking with her daughter shoots dead attacker trying to rob young children and families outside a school in Brazil

A brave mum shot dead an armed robber outside the gates of her kids' school after he pulled a pistol on terrified parents and their children.

Security cameras outside the private school in Brazil captured the moment Katia da Silva Sastre - rounded on the 21-year-old gunman when he pointed a .38 revolver at the group.

Dramatic footage shows the off-duty police officer shoot the suspect three times after he reached out to grab a man's wallet and phone.

The armed man falls backwards onto a zebra crossing and releases two shots in the process as he hits the ground.

The first one ricochets off the ground hitting no one, and the second jams in the weapon.

The suspect, named as Elivelton Neves Moreira, was hit in the chest and legs and died of his injuries after being rushed to hospital.

The incident happened on Saturday in Suzano, Sao Paulo, during an event to mark Mother’s Day.

The officer, who had gone to the event with her seven-year-old daughter, told colleagues: "I didn’t know if he was going to shoot the kids or the mothers or the security guard at the school door.

“It's gratifying to have been in the right place to have saved all our lives,” she added revealing she was first warned of the danger when a woman, in a grey dress, hurriedly walked past and pointed backwards saying a robbery had just taken place behind her.

Husband of officer Sastre, military police lieutenant André Alves said to Folha de Sao Paulo: “The suspect's gun fired once, but it is not known whether or not it was before Katia fired.

“The first shot ricocheted and got lost. On his second attempt at firing, the weapon locked.

"Thankfully she was faster than him, because when a thug discovers (their opponent) is a police officer, he shoots to kill.”

A spokesman for the force she works for said: “These criminals lose control easily.

"Katia didn’t know if he was going to react by shooting at the children, the mums or the headteacher who was at the school entrance.“She just thought about defending the parents, the children, herself and her daughter.”

Paying tribute to the officer at the police station where she works and handing her some flowers, Sao Paulo Governor, Márcio França, said she had shown “dexterity, technique and courage.”

He added; “It is not ideal that the suspect died. We would have preferred this had not happened.

"But it is a warning to those who take up a gun that they could be killed because our security professionals are well trained to protect the public,” he said.