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The eyewitness

An eyewitness who observed the aftermath of a large-scale security raid in the metropolitan area has reported how local people returned with mutilated bodies of those who had died.

The casualties "continued arriving: the count kept increasing", the eyewitness stated. The total contained law enforcement personnel.

A particular victim had been decapitated - others were "severely damaged", he said. Many also had evidence of knife injuries.

Over 120 individuals lost their lives during the security action on a criminal gang - the bloodiest action in the city.

The photographer explained that he initially learned to the raid Tuesday morning by local people from the Alemão area, who reached out telling him there was a shoot-out.

The reporter made his way to the Getúlio Vargas hospital, where the bodies were being brought.

The eyewitness reported that the police stopped members of the press from going into the Penha neighborhood, where the police action were taking place.

"Police officers established a perimeter and said: 'The press doesn't get past here'."

However, the photographer, who grew up in the area, stated he succeeded to enter into the cordoned-off area, where he continued through the night.

He reported that evening, community members commenced searching the elevated terrain that separates Penha from the neighboring Alemão community for loved ones who had been missing following the security action.

Community members from the Penha area proceeded to place the located casualties in a public space - and Itan's photos show the emotions of those present.

"The violence of the situation impacted me profoundly: the pain of relatives, parents losing consciousness, expectant spouses, sobbing, angry family members," the photographer recalled.

The eyewitness

The state leader of the region stated that the massive police operation involving around 2,500 law enforcement members was aimed at halting an illegal organization called Red Command from growing their influence.

Originally, state authorities claimed that "60 suspects and four police officers" had been killed in the raid.

Authorities later reported that initial estimates suggests that 117 "suspects" were fatally injured.

Rio's public defender's office, that gives legal support to low-income residents, has calculated the total number of fatalities to be 132.

Based on expert analysis, the gang is the only criminal group that in the past few years has managed to expand its territory throughout Rio state.

It is widely considered one of the two largest gangs in the country, alongside another major gang, and has a history dating back more than 50 years.

Per reporter Rafael Soares, with extensive experience documenting illegal operations in Rio over many years, the criminal organization "functions as a network" with area gang leaders joining the organization and acting as "business partners".

The gang engages primarily in illegal drug trade, while also dealing in guns, precious metals, energy resources, beverages smoking products.

Per law enforcement statements, criminal affiliates have substantial firearms and authorities stated that throughout the operation, they encountered resistance from explosive-laden drones.

The governor of Rio state, Cláudio Castro, labeled organization participants as drug terrorists and called the four police officers killed in the raid as "heroes".

But the number of fatalities in the operation has come in for criticism from international human rights authorities saying it was "appalled".

In a media appearance the following day, the state leader supported law enforcement.

"We did not plan to result in deaths. We intended to detain everyone safely," he said.

He added that the circumstances worsened as the individuals had retaliated: "It was a consequence of the resistance they implemented and the disproportionate use of force from the gang members."

The governor also said that the bodies presented by community members in the neighborhood had been "tampered with".

Via a statement through digital channels, he asserted that some of them had been stripped of military-style attire he said they had been wearing "in order to shift blame onto the police".

A police official of Rio's civil police force further reported that tactical gear, protective equipment, and weapons" were stripped from the casualties and displayed evidence appearing to show a person stripping military attire {off a corpse