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The photographer

A photographer who witnessed the results of a massive law enforcement action in the Brazilian city has reported how local people returned with mutilated bodies of the deceased individuals.

The casualties "continued arriving: the numbers kept rising", Bruno Itan stated. Among them were law enforcement personnel.

One of the bodies was discovered headless - others were "severely damaged", he reported. Numerous victims displayed what appeared to be knife injuries.

In excess of 120 victims lost their lives in the Tuesday operation against a criminal group - the most lethal operation the municipality has seen.

The photographer reported that he was first alerted about the operation early on Tuesday by residents of the Alemão neighbourhood, who reached out telling him there was a shoot-out.

The reporter made his way to a local medical facility, where the bodies were being brought.

Itan explained that law enforcement blocked media personnel from entering the Penha neighborhood, where the police action were taking place.

"Law enforcement personnel formed a line and announced: 'Media representatives doesn't get past here'."

But Itan, who was raised in the area, explained he succeeded to gain access into the cordoned-off area, where he continued until the next morning.

He reported during the night, local residents started looking the hillside that separates Penha from the nearby Alemão neighbourhood for family members who were unaccounted for following the security action.

Residents of the Penha neighbourhood organized the recovered bodies in a public space - the documented evidence show the response of those present.

"The violence of it all impacted me a lot: the grief of loved ones, mothers fainting, expectant spouses, crying, furious relatives," the reporter recounted.

The photographer

The governor of the state announced that the massive police operation deploying about 2,500 security personnel was intended to stopping an illegal organization known as Red Command from growing their influence.

At first, local officials claimed that sixty alleged criminals plus four law enforcement personnel" were fatally injured during the action.

Officials subsequently stated that initial estimates indicates that 117 alleged criminals have been killed.

The legal assistance organization, that gives legal support to low-income residents, has calculated the final tally of people killed at 132.

Based on expert analysis, the gang stands as the sole illegal faction that recently has been able to increase its control throughout Rio state.

It is generally regarded one of the two largest gangs in the country, alongside First Capital Command, and has a history spanning over five decades.

Based on reporter Rafael Soares, who has long reported on crime in Rio for years, Red Command "operates like a franchise" with local criminal leaders joining the organization and becoming "commercial associates".

The gang engages primarily in illegal drug trade, while also dealing in firearms, gold, energy resources, liquor smoking products.

Per law enforcement statements, criminal affiliates have substantial firearms and authorities stated that during the raid, they encountered resistance from explosive-laden drones.

The governor of the state, Cláudio Castro, labeled Red Command members as drug terrorists and referred to the law enforcement personnel killed in the raid as courageous individuals.

But the number of people killed during the raid has received condemnation from international human rights authorities saying it was "appalled".

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

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

He continued that the events intensified because the suspects fought back: "It resulted of the retaliation they implemented and the excessive violence from the gang members."

The official also said that the bodies displayed by locals in the area had been "tampered with".

In a post on online platforms, he claimed that some of them had been removed of the camouflage clothing he said they had been wearing "to transfer accusation toward law enforcement".

A police official of Rio's civil police force further reported that tactical gear, protective equipment, and weapons" had been removed from the victims and showed footage appearing to show an individual removing tactical gear {off a corpse