The bodies just kept coming - photographer recounts lethal Rio law enforcement operation

Bruno Itan

A photographer who witnessed the consequences of a massive law enforcement action in the Brazilian city has recounted how local people returned with disfigured remains of the deceased individuals.

The casualties "continued arriving: 25, 30, 35, 40, 45...", Bruno Itan reported. Among them were law enforcement personnel.

A particular victim had been decapitated - others were "completely mutilated", he explained. Numerous victims displayed evidence of knife injuries.

Over 120 individuals were fatally injured during Tuesday's raid against a criminal group - the most lethal operation the municipality has seen.

Bruno Itan stated that residents first notified him concerning the action Tuesday morning by residents living in Alemão, who reached out informing him gunfire had erupted.

The reporter went to the healthcare center, where the casualties were arriving.

The eyewitness reported that law enforcement stopped members of the press from entering the affected area, where the police action were taking place.

"Security forces established a perimeter and announced: 'The press cannot proceed beyond this point'."

Nevertheless, the eyewitness, who spent his childhood in that neighborhood, stated he succeeded to make his way into the restricted zone, where he stayed until the next morning.

He described during the night, local residents commenced searching the hillside which divides the community of Penha and the neighboring Alemão community for loved ones whose whereabouts were unknown since the police raid.

Residents living in Penha arranged the discovered victims in an open area - the documented evidence show the response of the gathered crowd.

"The harsh reality of the situation affected me deeply: the grief of loved ones, women collapsing, pregnant wives, crying, furious relatives," the eyewitness remembered.

The photographer

The governor of the region announced that the massive police operation involving around 2,500 officers was intended to halting an illegal organization called Red Command from expanding its territory.

Initially, state authorities stated that "60 suspects along with four officers" had been killed in the operation.

They have since said that early calculations suggests that 117 alleged criminals have been killed.

The legal assistance organization, that gives legal support to low-income residents, has calculated the total number of fatalities at 132.

According to researchers, Red Command represents the unique criminal entity that in the past few years has been able to expand its territory in the state of Rio de Janeiro.

Experts commonly view among the biggest criminal organizations in Brazil, alongside a rival criminal group, featuring a timeline dating back more than 50 years.

Based on correspondent an expert, who has been covering crime in Rio for years, the criminal organization "functions as a network" with area gang leaders affiliating with the group and acting as "operational allies".

The gang focuses mainly on drug trafficking, while also dealing in weapons, precious metals, fuel, alcohol cigarettes.

According to the authorities, criminal affiliates possess significant weaponry and officials reported that while the action was underway, they encountered resistance via weaponized unmanned aircraft.

The state leader of the state, the government representative, characterized gang affiliates as drug terrorists and referred to the security forces who died during the operation as brave public servants.

Nevertheless, the total of people killed during the raid has come in for criticism from UN human rights officials expressing they felt "shocked".

At a news conference on Wednesday, Governor Castro justified security actions.

"There was no objective to kill anyone. We wanted to detain everyone safely," he stated.

He further explained that the events worsened because the suspects fought back: "It resulted of the resistance they implemented and the disproportionate use of force by those criminals."

The official also said that the casualties presented by community members in the area had been "manipulated".

Via a statement on social media, he said that particular individuals had been stripped of military-style attire that he stated they possessed "in order to shift blame toward law enforcement".

A law enforcement representative from the police department further reported that tactical gear, protective equipment, and firearms" were stripped from the victims and presented video seemingly depicting a man cutting camouflage clothing {off a corpse