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Bruno Itan

An eyewitness who observed the aftermath of an extensive security raid in the metropolitan area has reported how local people came back with mutilated bodies of the deceased individuals.

The casualties "continued arriving: 25, 30, 35, 40, 45...", Bruno Itan stated. They included those of police officers.

One of the bodies was found without a head - others were "totally disfigured", he explained. Several bodies showed what he described as knife injuries.

More than 120 people lost their lives during Tuesday's raid targeting an illegal organization - the bloodiest action Rio has experienced.

Bruno Itan explained that he initially learned about the operation early on Tuesday by residents living in Alemão, who contacted him telling him there was a shoot-out.

The eyewitness went to the healthcare center, where the victims were coming in.

The eyewitness reported that law enforcement prevented journalists from accessing the operation zone, where the operation was under way.

"Police officers formed a line and said: 'Media representatives cannot proceed beyond this point'."

Nevertheless, the eyewitness, who was raised in that neighborhood, stated he managed to enter past the security perimeter, where he stayed until dawn.

He explained that evening, local residents commenced searching the mountainous area that borders the community of Penha and the adjacent Alemão area for relatives who were unaccounted for after the operation.

Residents from the Penha area organized the located casualties in a public space - the photographer's images display the response of the gathered crowd.

"The harsh reality of it all shook me profoundly: the sorrow of the families, women collapsing, pregnant wives, weeping, angry family members," the photographer recalled.

The eyewitness

The state leader of Rio state stated that the massive police operation involving around 2,500 law enforcement members was aimed at halting a criminal group referred to as Red Command from growing their influence.

Originally, local officials maintained that "60 suspects along with four officers" were fatally injured in the raid.

Officials subsequently stated that initial estimates indicates that 117 individuals were fatally injured.

Rio's public defender's office, that gives legal support to disadvantaged individuals, has calculated the overall count of people killed to be 132.

According to researchers, the gang represents the unique criminal entity which in recent years has been able to expand its territory throughout Rio state.

It is generally regarded among the biggest criminal organizations nationally, alongside First Capital Command, and has a history spanning over five decades.

According to reporter Rafael Soares, who has long reported on crime in Rio over many years, the criminal organization "operates like a franchise" with neighborhood bosses forming part of the gang and serving as "commercial associates".

The organization engages primarily in narcotics distribution, while also dealing in guns, precious metals, fuel, liquor smoking products.

Per law enforcement statements, criminal affiliates have substantial firearms and police said that throughout the operation, they came under attack using drone-delivered explosives.

The state leader of the state, Cláudio Castro, labeled Red Command members as criminal extremists and called the law enforcement personnel fatally injured in the action as brave public servants.

But the number of casualties in the operation has faced scrutiny from international human rights authorities saying it was "shocked".

During a press briefing on Wednesday, the state leader supported law enforcement.

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

He added that the events intensified due to the alleged criminals had retaliated: "It was a consequence of the counterattack they implemented and the disproportionate use of force by the illegal group."

The governor also said that the victims displayed by locals in the neighborhood had been "manipulated".

Via a statement on social media, he said that particular individuals had been stripped of the camouflage clothing which he claimed they wore "to redirect responsibility to security forces".

A police official from the police department additionally stated that "camouflage clothing, body armor, and firearms" had been removed from the bodies and showed footage apparently demonstrating a person stripping military attire {off a corpse