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The eyewitness

A photographer who documented the consequences of a large-scale Brazilian police operation in the metropolitan area has recounted how local people returned with badly injured victims of those who had died.

The bodies "kept coming: 25, 30, 35, 40, 45...", Bruno Itan stated. The total contained law enforcement personnel.

One of the bodies had been decapitated - others were "totally disfigured", he reported. Numerous victims displayed evidence of stab wounds.

In excess of 120 victims were killed during the security action targeting an illegal organization - the bloodiest action the municipality has seen.

The photographer explained that residents first notified him to the raid early on Tuesday by residents living in Alemão, who reached out telling him there was a shoot-out.

The eyewitness went to the Getúlio Vargas hospital, where the victims were being brought.

Itan explained that the police prevented journalists from accessing the affected area, where the police action were taking place.

"Law enforcement personnel formed a line and announced: 'The press doesn't get past here'."

However, the photographer, who grew up in that neighborhood, reported he managed to enter past the security perimeter, where he continued until dawn.

He explained that evening, area inhabitants began to search the elevated terrain that separates the Penha neighborhood from the adjacent Alemão area for loved ones whose whereabouts were unknown following the security action.

Community members living in Penha arranged the discovered victims in a public space - the documented evidence reveal the response of those present.

"The harsh reality of what occurred impacted me profoundly: the sorrow of relatives, mothers fainting, expectant spouses, sobbing, angry family members," the reporter recounted.

Bruno Itan

The governor of Rio state stated that the extensive law enforcement effort deploying about 2,500 security personnel was aimed at preventing a criminal group known as the criminal faction from expanding its territory.

At first, state authorities stated that sixty alleged criminals and four police officers" had been killed in the operation.

They have since said that initial estimates shows that 117 alleged criminals have been killed.

The public legal service, that offers legal help to low-income residents, has put the final tally of fatalities to be 132.

Per investigative findings, the criminal organization stands as the sole illegal faction which in recent years has been able to make territorial gains across the region.

Experts commonly view one of the two largest gangs in Brazil, together with First Capital Command, featuring a timeline spanning over five decades.

Based on reporter a specialist, who has been covering criminal activity in the city extensively, the gang "functions as a network" with neighborhood bosses affiliating with the group and serving as "operational allies".

The criminal group engages primarily in narcotics distribution, but also smuggles weapons, valuable minerals, petroleum products, liquor cigarettes.

Based on official reports, criminal affiliates are well armed and officials reported that throughout the operation, they encountered resistance from explosive-laden drones.

The state leader of Rio state, the government representative, characterized Red Command members as criminal extremists and referred to the law enforcement personnel fatally injured in the action as brave public servants.

However, the count of fatalities in the security action has faced scrutiny from international human rights authorities saying it was "horrified".

During a press briefing on Wednesday, the state leader supported law enforcement.

"It wasn't our intention to cause fatalities. We intended to take suspects into custody without harm," he stated.

He further explained that the situation intensified because the suspects fought back: "It occurred of the retaliation they executed and the disproportionate use of force by those criminals."

The governor further reported that the bodies presented by community members in the neighborhood had been "manipulated".

Via a statement on online platforms, he said that some of them had been removed of tactical gear that he stated they possessed "to transfer accusation toward law enforcement".

A police official representing security forces additionally stated that tactical gear, body armor, and arms" were taken away from the victims and showed footage apparently demonstrating an individual cutting camouflage clothing {off a corpse