🔗 Share this article

The photographer

An eyewitness who observed the consequences of a massive law enforcement action in the metropolitan area has described how community members came back with mutilated bodies of people who lost their lives.

The victims "continued arriving: the numbers kept rising", the eyewitness stated. Among them were law enforcement personnel.

One of the bodies was discovered headless - others were "completely mutilated", he reported. Numerous victims displayed evidence of stab wounds.

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

Bruno Itan stated that he was first alerted about the operation early on Tuesday by local people from the Alemão area, who reached out telling him gunfire had erupted.

The photographer traveled to a local medical facility, where the bodies were being brought.

The photographer stated that security forces stopped members of the press from accessing the affected area, where the police action were taking place.

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

But Itan, who grew up in the community, stated he was able to gain access into the restricted zone, where he stayed through the night.

He reported during the night, area inhabitants started looking the hillside which divides the community of Penha and the neighboring Alemão community for loved ones whose whereabouts were unknown following the security action.

Community members from the Penha area organized the discovered victims in a public space - the documented evidence reveal the response of the people there.

"The violence of the situation impacted me profoundly: the grief of the families, women collapsing, pregnant wives, crying, angry family members," the eyewitness remembered.

The photographer

The state leader of the state stated that the massive police operation deploying about 2,500 officers was intended to halting an illegal organization known as Red Command from expanding its territory.

At first, the Rio state government stated that "60 suspects plus four law enforcement personnel" were fatally injured in the operation.

They have since said that initial estimates shows that 117 individuals have been killed.

The legal assistance organization, that gives legal support to low-income residents, has put the overall count of fatalities as 132.

Based on expert analysis, the criminal organization is the only criminal group which in recent years has succeeded to make territorial gains throughout Rio state.

It is generally regarded one of the two largest gangs in the country, together with a rival criminal group, and has a history extending half a century.

Per Brazilian journalist a specialist, who has been covering crime in Rio for years, Red Command "functions as a network" with area gang leaders forming part of the gang and becoming "business partners".

The criminal group focuses mainly on narcotics distribution, while also dealing in guns, valuable minerals, fuel, liquor and tobacco.

Based on official reports, gang members are well armed and authorities stated that while the action was underway, they faced assaults via weaponized unmanned aircraft.

The state leader of Rio state, the political leader, described gang affiliates as drug terrorists and referred to the law enforcement personnel who died during the operation as courageous individuals.

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

At a news conference the next day, the official defended the police force.

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

He continued that the events intensified due to the alleged criminals had retaliated: "It was a consequence of the retaliation they executed and the overwhelming response by those criminals."

The state leader also said that the victims shown by residents in the neighborhood had been "manipulated".

Via a statement through digital channels, he claimed that certain victims had been removed of the camouflage clothing that he stated they possessed "to transfer accusation toward law enforcement".

Felipe Curi representing security forces further reported that tactical gear, body armor, and arms" had been removed from the casualties and displayed evidence seemingly depicting an individual stripping military attire {off a corpse