Deadly protests broke out in a slum near Brazil's Copacabana beach after police and protesters clashed over the death of a professional dancer on Tuesday night.

One person was reported dead in the shootout in the Pavao-Pavaozinho favela and a 12-year-old boy was injured in the protest, according to local media.

The slum was placed under lockdown as protesters set barricades of tyres and cars alight. Several streets were blocked as police struggled to contain the protest.

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The unrest began after the body of professional dancer Douglas Rafael da Silva Pareira was found dead on Tuesday morning.

Residents blamed the police for the death, accusing authorities of mistaking the television dancer for a drug trafficker.

Rio de Janeiro's State Security Secretariat said his death is being investigated, but his injuries appear to be consistent with a fall, according to Rio authorities.

With the World Cup just two months away, the favelas represent the biggest security crisis facing Rio since it launched the police pacification units (UPPs) programme five years ago.

Shape Created with Sketch. In pictures: Violent protests break out in Rio de Janeiro's Copacabana beach after dancer is found dead Show all 20 left Created with Sketch. right Created with Sketch. Shape Created with Sketch. In pictures: Violent protests break out in Rio de Janeiro's Copacabana beach after dancer is found dead 1/20 Brazil People took to the streets and burnt tyres during a protest following the death of a young dancer in a nearby favela, during clashes with the Army 2/20 Brazil The body of a 25-year-old man, Douglas Rafael da Silva Pereira, was found in the Pavao-Pavaozinho favela near the Copacabana beach 3/20 Brazil Brazilian Police Special Force members detain a man during a violent protest in a favela near Copacabana in Rio de Janeiro 4/20 Brazil Protesters blame police for the death of Douglas Rafael da Silva Pereira, who regularly appeared on the country's largest TV network 5/20 Brazil A resident gestures during a protest in Pavao-Pavaozinho slum 6/20 Brazil Rio de Janeiro's state military policemen aim their guns during a violent protest in a favela next to Copacabana 7/20 Brazil A Brazilian Police Special Force member takes position during a violent protest in Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro 8/20 Brazil Rio de Janeiro's state military policemen stand in position 9/20 Brazil Initial reports over the circumstances around the death of Douglas Rafael da Silva Pereira were conflicting, but Brazilian media quoted police sources as saying he was killed after being mistaken for a drug trafficker 10/20 Brazil The police issued a brief statement saying only that the case was "under investigation" and that Douglas' injuries were "compatible with a death caused by a fall" 11/20 Brazil A woman walks past a policeman during a violent protest in a favela near Copacabana 12/20 Brazil A policeman checks locals during a violent protest in a favela 13/20 Brazil Policemen carry a wounded man during a protest by residents against the death of a man in Pavao-Pavaozinho slum, in the Copacabana neighborhood in Rio de Janeiro 14/20 Brazil A Brazilian Police Special Forces member aims his gun at a couple during a violent protest in a favela 15/20 Brazil A man walks past with a football in his hand as Brazilian Police Special Forces members stand guard during a violent protest in a favela 16/20 Brazil A resident reacts as he is detained by police during a protest in the Copacabana neighborhood 17/20 Brazil Residents walk among burning barricades during clashes at the Pavao Pavaozinho slum in Rio de Janeiro 18/20 Brazil Intense exchanges of gunfire, numerous blazes set alight and a shower of homemade explosives and glass bottles onto a busy avenue in Rio de Janeiro's main tourist zone erupted after the death of a popular young shantytown resident 19/20 Brazil Pools of blood remain from where protesters allege a man was shot near the pacified Pavao-Pavaozinho community, just blocks from Copacabana Beach 20/20 Brazil Fires set by protesters burn following shootings in the pacified Pavao-Pavaozinho community 1/20 Brazil People took to the streets and burnt tyres during a protest following the death of a young dancer in a nearby favela, during clashes with the Army 2/20 Brazil The body of a 25-year-old man, Douglas Rafael da Silva Pereira, was found in the Pavao-Pavaozinho favela near the Copacabana beach 3/20 Brazil Brazilian Police Special Force members detain a man during a violent protest in a favela near Copacabana in Rio de Janeiro 4/20 Brazil Protesters blame police for the death of Douglas Rafael da Silva Pereira, who regularly appeared on the country's largest TV network 5/20 Brazil A resident gestures during a protest in Pavao-Pavaozinho slum 6/20 Brazil Rio de Janeiro's state military policemen aim their guns during a violent protest in a favela next to Copacabana 7/20 Brazil A Brazilian Police Special Force member takes position during a violent protest in Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro 8/20 Brazil Rio de Janeiro's state military policemen stand in position 9/20 Brazil Initial reports over the circumstances around the death of Douglas Rafael da Silva Pereira were conflicting, but Brazilian media quoted police sources as saying he was killed after being mistaken for a drug trafficker 10/20 Brazil The police issued a brief statement saying only that the case was "under investigation" and that Douglas' injuries were "compatible with a death caused by a fall" 11/20 Brazil A woman walks past a policeman during a violent protest in a favela near Copacabana 12/20 Brazil A policeman checks locals during a violent protest in a favela 13/20 Brazil Policemen carry a wounded man during a protest by residents against the death of a man in Pavao-Pavaozinho slum, in the Copacabana neighborhood in Rio de Janeiro 14/20 Brazil A Brazilian Police Special Forces member aims his gun at a couple during a violent protest in a favela 15/20 Brazil A man walks past with a football in his hand as Brazilian Police Special Forces members stand guard during a violent protest in a favela 16/20 Brazil A resident reacts as he is detained by police during a protest in the Copacabana neighborhood 17/20 Brazil Residents walk among burning barricades during clashes at the Pavao Pavaozinho slum in Rio de Janeiro 18/20 Brazil Intense exchanges of gunfire, numerous blazes set alight and a shower of homemade explosives and glass bottles onto a busy avenue in Rio de Janeiro's main tourist zone erupted after the death of a popular young shantytown resident 19/20 Brazil Pools of blood remain from where protesters allege a man was shot near the pacified Pavao-Pavaozinho community, just blocks from Copacabana Beach 20/20 Brazil Fires set by protesters burn following shootings in the pacified Pavao-Pavaozinho community

The initiative reclaims lawless territory ruled by drug traffickers in the slums and replaces it with a police presence. However, crime is still present in "pacified" slums such as Pavao-Pavaozinho, adding to security concerns ahead of the World Cup, which begins on 12 June.

The latest incident comes only days after residents of the Caramujo slum, near Rio de Janeiro, set alight four buses to protest at the deaths of 21-year old Anderson Santos Silva, who was killed by a bullet on his way to a Good Friday church service, and 17-year-old Emanoel Gomes who died after his motorbike crashed into a military vehicle.

According to Amnesty International, police in Brazil are responsible for around 2,000 deaths every year in shootings and violent incidents that often go unpunished.

Amnesty International Brazil office director, Atila Roque, said: "Our police still have blood on their hands, and are allowed to act with impunity as extra-judicial killings remain rife in Brazil’s major cities."