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Bruno Itan

A photographer who witnessed the results of an extensive security raid in Rio de Janeiro has described how community members came back with mutilated bodies of the deceased individuals.

The victims "kept coming: the count kept increasing", the eyewitness reported. Among them were security forces.

One of the bodies was discovered headless - others were "completely mutilated", he explained. Several bodies showed what appeared to be stab wounds.

In excess of 120 victims were fatally injured during Tuesday's raid on a criminal gang - the deadliest such raid in the city.

The photographer stated that residents first notified him about the operation early on Tuesday by local people of the Alemão neighbourhood, who contacted him alerting him gunfire had erupted.

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

Itan explained that security forces blocked media personnel from entering the Penha neighborhood, where the security measures was under way.

"Law enforcement personnel created a barrier and announced: 'Media representatives are not allowed to pass'."

However, the photographer, who was raised in the community, stated he managed to make his way into the cordoned-off area, where he stayed until the next morning.

He described during the night, local residents began to search the elevated terrain which divides Penha from the adjacent Alemão area for family members who had been missing after the operation.

Residents living in Penha proceeded to place the discovered victims in a public space - and Itan's photos display the emotions of those present.

"The harsh reality of what occurred impacted me deeply: the grief of the families, mothers fainting, pregnant wives, sobbing, angry family members," the photographer recalled.

The eyewitness

The official of the state declared that the massive police operation deploying about 2,500 officers was aimed at halting an illegal organization referred to as Red Command from growing their influence.

Initially, state authorities maintained that sixty individuals plus four law enforcement personnel" had been killed in the raid.

They have since said that early calculations suggests that 117 alleged criminals were fatally injured.

The public legal service, that offers legal help to disadvantaged individuals, has calculated the final tally of fatalities at 132.

Based on expert analysis, the gang stands as the sole illegal faction which in recent years has succeeded to make territorial gains across the region.

Experts commonly view among the biggest criminal organizations nationally, in company with another major gang, and has a history extending half a century.

Based on reporter Rafael Soares, with extensive experience documenting crime in Rio for years, the criminal organization "operates like a franchise" with local criminal leaders forming part of the gang and serving as "operational allies".

The criminal group engages primarily in narcotics distribution, while also dealing in weapons, precious metals, energy resources, beverages cigarettes.

According to the authorities, organization members have substantial firearms and officials reported that during the raid, they faced assaults using drone-delivered explosives.

The state leader of Rio state, the political leader, characterized Red Command members as criminal extremists and called the law enforcement personnel who died during the operation as brave public servants.

Nevertheless, the total of casualties in the operation has received condemnation from international human rights authorities saying it was "shocked".

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

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

He added that the events worsened due to the alleged criminals resisted aggressively: "It occurred of the resistance they executed and the overwhelming response by those criminals."

The state leader additionally stated that the casualties shown by residents in the area had been "tampered with".

Via a statement through digital channels, he said that particular individuals had been stripped of the camouflage clothing which he claimed they wore "to transfer accusation to security forces".

Felipe Curi from the police department additionally stated that "camouflage clothing, vests, and arms" were taken away from the casualties and showed footage seemingly depicting an individual cutting camouflage clothing {off a corpse