The bodies just kept coming - eyewitness describes lethal Rio police raid

The photographer

A reporter who observed the results of an extensive security raid in Rio de Janeiro has recounted how community members returned with mutilated bodies of the deceased individuals.

The bodies "continued arriving: the numbers kept rising", the photographer stated. Among them were those of police officers.

A particular victim had been decapitated - others were "severely damaged", he explained. Many also had evidence of stab wounds.

In excess of 120 victims were fatally injured in the Tuesday operation targeting an illegal organization - the bloodiest action the municipality has seen.

The photographer reported that he initially learned to the raid early on Tuesday by local people from the Alemão area, who reached out alerting him gunfire had erupted.

The photographer traveled to a local medical facility, where the victims were coming in.

Itan explained that security forces prevented journalists from going into the Penha neighborhood, where the operation were occurring.

"Security forces formed a line and announced: 'Journalists are not allowed to pass'."

But Itan, who grew up in the area, reported he was able to make his way into the restricted zone, where he continued until the next morning.

He described that evening, area inhabitants started looking the hillside that borders Penha from the adjacent Alemão area for family members who had been missing following the security action.

Community members from the Penha area proceeded to place the discovered victims in a public space - the photographer's images reveal the reaction of the people there.

"The brutality of what occurred shook me a lot: the sorrow of loved ones, women collapsing, women carrying children, crying, angry family members," the reporter recounted.

Bruno Itan

The official of Rio state declared that the extensive law enforcement effort with approximately 2,500 security personnel was aimed at preventing an illegal organization called Comando Vermelho from expanding its territory.

At first, the Rio state government claimed that "60 suspects plus four law enforcement personnel" lost their lives in the raid.

Authorities later reported that their "preliminary" count shows that 117 "suspects" lost their lives.

The legal assistance organization, which provides legal assistance to disadvantaged individuals, has put the final tally of casualties at 132.

Per investigative findings, the gang stands as the sole illegal faction which in recent years has managed to increase its control in the state of Rio de Janeiro.

It is widely considered among the biggest criminal organizations in the country, in company with First Capital Command, featuring a timeline extending half a century.

Per reporter a specialist, who has been covering crime in Rio over many years, Red Command "operates like a franchise" with neighborhood bosses joining the organization and becoming "business partners".

The organization concentrates largely on narcotics distribution, while also dealing in firearms, precious metals, energy resources, beverages cigarettes.

Per law enforcement statements, organization members possess significant weaponry and police said that throughout the operation, they came under attack from explosive-laden drones.

The official of the state, the political leader, characterized gang affiliates as criminal extremists and described the security forces killed in the raid as "heroes".

However, the count of people killed in the operation has come in for criticism with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights saying it was "appalled".

At a news conference the next day, the state leader justified security actions.

"It wasn't our intention to cause fatalities. We aimed to detain everyone safely," he said.

He continued that the situation had escalated due to the alleged criminals fought back: "It resulted of the retaliation they carried out and the overwhelming response from the gang members."

The governor further reported that the bodies displayed by locals in the area were "altered".

In a post on social media, he asserted that certain victims had been removed of tactical gear that he stated they possessed "in order to shift blame toward law enforcement".

Felipe Curi representing security forces also said that military attire, body armor, and firearms" were stripped from the bodies and showed footage apparently demonstrating an individual removing tactical gear {off a corpse