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Bruno Itan

A photographer who documented the consequences of a large-scale law enforcement action in the metropolitan area has described how community members returned with badly injured victims of those who had died.

The bodies "kept coming: 25, 30, 35, 40, 45...", the eyewitness stated. Among them were those of police officers.

A particular victim was discovered headless - others were "totally disfigured", he reported. Numerous victims displayed what appeared to be blade trauma.

Over 120 individuals lost their lives during the security action against a criminal group - the most lethal operation Rio has experienced.

The eyewitness explained that he was first alerted concerning the action in the early hours by local people from the Alemão area, who sent him messages telling him gunfire had erupted.

The photographer traveled to the healthcare center, where the victims were being brought.

Itan explained that security forces prevented journalists from entering the Penha neighborhood, where the police action was under way.

"Law enforcement personnel established a perimeter and announced: 'The press are not allowed to pass'."

However, the photographer, who grew up in the community, explained he was able to gain access past the security perimeter, where he remained until the next morning.

He reported that evening, community members commenced searching the hillside that borders Penha from the adjacent Alemão area for family members who were unaccounted for following the security action.

Local people from the Penha area organized the discovered victims in a public space - and Itan's photos show the response of the gathered crowd.

"The brutality of the situation impacted me profoundly: the pain of the families, parents losing consciousness, pregnant wives, weeping, angry family members," the eyewitness remembered.

The photographer

The state leader of the state stated that the extensive law enforcement effort deploying about 2,500 security personnel was designed to stopping a criminal group referred to as Red Command from expanding its territory.

At first, the Rio state government stated that "60 suspects along with four officers" had been killed in the raid.

They have since said that their "preliminary" count suggests that 117 alleged criminals have been killed.

Rio's public defender's office, that offers legal help to the poor, has calculated the final tally of casualties at 132.

According to researchers, the gang stands as the sole illegal faction which in recent years has been able to make territorial gains in the state of Rio de Janeiro.

It is generally regarded among the biggest criminal organizations in Brazil, together with a rival criminal group, featuring a timeline extending half a century.

Based on reporter Rafael Soares, who has long reported on crime in Rio extensively, the criminal organization "operates like a franchise" with area gang leaders affiliating with the group and serving as "operational allies".

The criminal group concentrates largely on narcotics distribution, additionally trafficking weapons, valuable minerals, fuel, liquor smoking products.

Per law enforcement statements, gang members are well armed and authorities stated that throughout the operation, they came under attack from explosive-laden drones.

The state leader of Rio state, the government representative, labeled gang affiliates as drug terrorists and described the security forces killed in the raid as "heroes".

Nevertheless, the total of fatalities in the operation has received condemnation from UN human rights officials stating they were "horrified".

In a media appearance the next day, Governor Castro defended the police force.

"It wasn't our intention to result in deaths. We wanted to take suspects into custody without harm," he stated.

He added that the situation had escalated as the individuals fought back: "It occurred of the resistance they executed and the overwhelming response from the gang members."

The governor further reported that the victims displayed by locals in the area had been "tampered with".

Via a statement on online platforms, he asserted that particular individuals had been taken of tactical gear which he claimed they wore "to transfer accusation onto the police".

Felipe Curi of Rio's civil police force additionally stated that "camouflage clothing, protective equipment, and arms" were taken away from the bodies and showed footage apparently demonstrating a person removing tactical gear {off a corpse