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Have you checked the US State Department Warnings.
Google "Most Dangerous Cities in Brazil"
I came to Brasil in 2015, my visit was Belem Para, of the 50 most Deadliest Cities in the world, Brasil had a total  23 , Belem at the time was #21 on the Deadliest  Cities list.

I had no problems for I did not travel at night, parties were at friends homes, no bars and if so they would be in restaurants or in my immediate neighborhood. There were your typical assualts, theif of cellphones etc...I find Mos Crime in Brazil is centered around Port Cities and areas of Drug abuse and usage as long as one stays clear of trove and troubled area's any city can be safe...just my onservation...

Many more beaches safer than there. Have a brother-in-law there and he would like to move somewhere else. What do your relatives think. That would be the best source.
In Jan there was the largest mass killings in its history, 14 people.

I have been living in Fortaleza since 2017. I have not been assaulted or robbed yet. However, I work from home but we go out a lot. I go for runs even at night time. I have not felt unsafe yet.

However, crime is there. Most of the violent crime is focused on gang-on-gang violence.

My friend is a police man here who attends homicide. According to what I heard from him, most homicides are in or around favelas. Worst of all locations is city of Caucaia which is very poor.

It is not like e.g. US where a psycho would go on a rampage killing innocent people but it is also not like Asia where violent crimes are the lowest in the world (I am from India).

If you go live on the coastal towns (e.g. Flecheiras) or up in the mountains (Guaramiranga), I think crime is not a huge problem.

If you do decide to buy, buy in a condominio fechado. Eusebio is an ideal place for such things. New and new constructions (condos or buildings) are coming up around the city.