TWO MEN HAVE been arrested in Brazil for allegedly selling a weapon to the gunman who opened fire at a school in Rio De Janeiro last week, killing 12 students.

Ten girls and two boys ages 12 to 15 were gunned down inside the Tasso da Silveira public school, most lined up along a wall and shot in the head at point-blank range.

The shooter, identified as a former student of the school, 23-year-old Wellington Oliveira, killed himself with one of his pistols after being confronted by police. At least 12 other students were wounded.

There are fears the death toll from the shooting may rise. Three other children shot at the school are in grave condition and on life support, the Rio state health department said.

About 300 people formed a human chain around the school on Saturday in a symbolic embrace.

Charleston Souza de Lucena, 38, and Isaias de Souza, 48, said that they sold a gun to the shooter and regretted having done so, according to a Brazilian police official Altamir Ribeiro.

It was not immediately clear if police believe they also supplied the shooter with the second pistol he used in the rampage.

The two men have not been charged as under Brazilian law, prosecutors file charges only after police have finished investigating.

Family members and neighbors of Oliveira said he was a good student, but had a history of psychological problems.

He was also introverted and spent most of his time on his computer, where a brother said he spent time watching videos about firing weapons.

His body remained in the Rio morgue — and officials said no family member had yet arrived to claim it.

Reacting to the attack, congressional representatives began calling for even greater control over the sale of guns and ammunition in Brazil, which has strict gun laws as it is.

- AP