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The photographer

An eyewitness who observed the results of a massive Brazilian police operation in the metropolitan area has recounted how local people brought back mutilated bodies of those who had died.

The victims "kept coming: the numbers kept rising", the eyewitness described. Among them were law enforcement personnel.

One individual had been decapitated - while others appeared "severely damaged", he reported. Several bodies showed what he described as blade trauma.

Over 120 individuals were killed during the security action against a criminal group - the bloodiest action in the city.

The photographer reported that he was first alerted to the raid Tuesday morning by community members living in Alemão, who sent him messages telling him gunfire had erupted.

The photographer went to a local medical facility, where the casualties were being brought.

The eyewitness reported that security forces prevented journalists from entering the Penha neighborhood, where the security measures was under way.

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

Nevertheless, the eyewitness, who spent his childhood in the area, explained he managed to enter into the cordoned-off area, where he remained through the night.

He explained that evening, area inhabitants began to search the mountainous area that borders the community of Penha and the neighboring Alemão community for family members who had been missing following the security action.

Residents from the Penha area organized the discovered victims in a public space - the documented evidence display the emotions of the people there.

"The brutality of what occurred affected me a lot: the sorrow of loved ones, women collapsing, women carrying children, weeping, outraged parents," the reporter recounted.

Bruno Itan

The state leader of Rio state stated that the extensive law enforcement effort with approximately 2,500 security personnel was designed to preventing a gang called Comando Vermelho from expanding its territory.

Originally, local officials maintained that sixty individuals and four police officers" were fatally injured during the action.

Authorities later reported that early calculations suggests that 117 individuals have been killed.

The public legal service, which provides legal assistance to disadvantaged individuals, has put the total number of people killed at 132.

Per investigative findings, Red Command represents the unique criminal entity that recently has succeeded to make territorial gains in the state of Rio de Janeiro.

Experts commonly view as a major illegal faction in Brazil, in company with First Capital Command, with a background extending half a century.

According to reporter an expert, with extensive experience documenting illegal operations in Rio extensively, Red Command "functions as a network" with local criminal leaders affiliating with the group and acting as "operational allies".

The organization concentrates largely on drug trafficking, additionally trafficking guns, valuable minerals, energy resources, liquor cigarettes.

Based on official reports, criminal affiliates are well armed and authorities stated that throughout the operation, they encountered resistance using drone-delivered explosives.

The state leader of the state, Cláudio Castro, characterized gang affiliates as criminal extremists and called the four police officers killed in the raid as "heroes".

But the number of people killed in the security action has come in for criticism from international human rights authorities expressing they felt "shocked".

At a news conference the following day, Governor Castro justified security actions.

"We did not plan to kill anyone. We intended to take suspects into custody without harm," he said.

He continued that the situation intensified as the individuals had retaliated: "It was a consequence of the resistance they executed and the disproportionate use of force by the illegal group."

The state leader further reported that the bodies displayed by locals in the neighborhood were "altered".

Via a statement on online platforms, he asserted that some of them had been taken of the camouflage clothing which he claimed they wore "to transfer accusation toward law enforcement".

Felipe Curi of Rio's civil police force further reported that tactical gear, vests, and firearms" had been removed from the casualties and presented video seemingly depicting an individual removing tactical gear {off a corpse