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The eyewitness

A photographer who documented the aftermath of an extensive law enforcement action in Rio de Janeiro has reported how residents brought back mutilated bodies of the deceased individuals.

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

A particular victim was found without a head - additional victims were "completely mutilated", he reported. Many also had evidence of stab wounds.

Over 120 individuals were fatally injured in the Tuesday operation targeting an illegal organization - the deadliest such raid the municipality has seen.

The photographer stated that he initially learned concerning the action in the early hours by residents living in Alemão, who reached out informing him an armed confrontation was occurring.

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

Itan explained that law enforcement blocked media personnel from accessing the affected area, where the security measures were occurring.

"Security forces created a barrier and declared: 'Media representatives cannot proceed beyond this point'."

Nevertheless, the eyewitness, who spent his childhood in that neighborhood, stated he was able to enter past the security perimeter, where he continued until the next morning.

He described that evening, area inhabitants commenced searching the hillside which divides Penha from the adjacent Alemão area for relatives whose whereabouts were unknown since the police raid.

Local people living in Penha organized the located casualties in an open area - and Itan's photos display the response of the people there.

"The harsh reality of what occurred shook me profoundly: the pain of the families, parents losing consciousness, expectant spouses, crying, furious relatives," the eyewitness remembered.

The eyewitness

The governor of the state stated that the massive police operation involving around 2,500 officers was designed to preventing a gang known as Red Command from growing their influence.

At first, local officials maintained that sixty individuals and four police officers" lost their lives during the action.

Authorities later reported that their "preliminary" count suggests that 117 "suspects" have been killed.

The legal assistance organization, that offers legal help to the poor, has estimated the final tally of casualties as 132.

Per investigative findings, the criminal organization is the only criminal group which in recent years has managed to make territorial gains in the state of Rio de Janeiro.

It is widely considered one of the two largest gangs in the country, alongside another major gang, and has a history dating back more than 50 years.

According to reporter Rafael Soares, with extensive experience documenting illegal operations in Rio over many years, the gang "operates like a franchise" with area gang leaders joining the organization and serving as "commercial associates".

The criminal group engages primarily in narcotics distribution, while also dealing in weapons, gold, fuel, liquor cigarettes.

Based on official reports, organization members are well armed and officials reported that throughout the operation, they faced assaults via weaponized unmanned aircraft.

The governor of the state, Cláudio Castro, characterized organization participants as "narcoterrorists" and described the law enforcement personnel who died during the operation as courageous individuals.

However, the count of casualties during the raid has faced scrutiny from international human rights authorities saying it was "shocked".

During a press briefing the following day, the state leader justified security actions.

"It wasn't our intention to result in deaths. We intended to arrest them all alive," he declared.

He continued that the events intensified due to the alleged criminals fought back: "It resulted of the retaliation they executed and the disproportionate use of force by the illegal group."

The official further reported that the casualties displayed by locals in the area were "altered".

In a post on online platforms, he asserted that particular individuals had been taken of the camouflage clothing which he claimed they wore "to redirect responsibility onto the police".

Felipe Curi from the police department additionally stated that military attire, protective equipment, and firearms" were stripped from the victims and presented video apparently demonstrating a man stripping military attire {off a corpse