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Bruno Itan

A photographer who observed the consequences of a massive law enforcement action in Rio de Janeiro has recounted how local people came back with disfigured remains of people who lost their lives.

The casualties "kept piling up: 25, 30, 35, 40, 45...", Bruno Itan stated. The total contained law enforcement personnel.

One of the bodies was found without a head - additional victims were "totally disfigured", he reported. Many also had evidence of stab wounds.

Over 120 individuals lost their lives during the security action targeting an illegal organization - the most lethal operation Rio has experienced.

The photographer reported that he initially learned concerning the action Tuesday morning by community members of the Alemão neighbourhood, who sent him messages informing him gunfire had erupted.

The eyewitness made his way to the healthcare center, where the casualties were arriving.

The eyewitness reported that the police blocked media personnel from going into the operation zone, where the security measures was under way.

"Police officers formed a line and said: 'Journalists doesn't get past here'."

However, the photographer, who spent his childhood in the area, explained he was able to enter past the security perimeter, where he remained through the night.

He reported that Tuesday night, community members commenced searching the elevated terrain that borders the Penha neighborhood from the neighboring Alemão community for relatives who were unaccounted for following the security action.

Residents living in Penha arranged the discovered victims in an open area - the documented evidence reveal the emotions of those present.

"The violence of it all affected me a lot: the sorrow of the families, women collapsing, expectant spouses, weeping, angry family members," the reporter recounted.

The eyewitness

The official of the region announced that the massive police operation with approximately 2,500 officers was aimed at preventing an illegal organization known as the criminal faction from increasing their control.

Initially, the Rio state government stated that "60 suspects plus four law enforcement personnel" had been killed during the action.

They have since said that initial estimates suggests that 117 alleged criminals were fatally injured.

The legal assistance organization, that gives legal support to the poor, has put the overall count of fatalities as 132.

According to researchers, Red Command represents the unique criminal entity that in the past few years has managed to increase its control in the state of Rio de Janeiro.

It is widely considered as a major illegal faction in Brazil, in company with First Capital Command, with a background spanning over five decades.

Based on Brazilian journalist an expert, with extensive experience documenting criminal activity in the city extensively, the gang "works as a system" with local criminal leaders forming part of the gang and serving as "commercial associates".

The organization concentrates largely on narcotics distribution, while also dealing in guns, valuable minerals, fuel, alcohol cigarettes.

According to the authorities, gang members are well armed and officials reported that during the raid, they faced assaults using drone-delivered explosives.

The official of the region, the political leader, characterized gang affiliates as "narcoterrorists" and described the law enforcement personnel fatally injured in the action as "heroes".

However, the count of fatalities in the operation has received condemnation from international human rights authorities stating they were "shocked".

In a media appearance the next day, the official defended the police force.

"There was no objective to result in deaths. We aimed to detain everyone safely," he said.

He added that the circumstances had escalated as the individuals had retaliated: "It occurred of the counterattack they carried out and the overwhelming response from the gang members."

The governor further reported that the victims displayed by locals in the neighborhood had been "tampered with".

In a post on social media, he claimed that certain victims had been stripped of the camouflage clothing which he claimed they wore "in order to shift blame toward law enforcement".

A police official of Rio's civil police force additionally stated that tactical gear, body armor, and weapons" were taken away from the victims and presented video apparently demonstrating a man cutting camouflage clothing {off a corpse