🔗 Share this article

The photographer

An eyewitness who witnessed the consequences of a large-scale law enforcement action in the metropolitan area has recounted how local people brought back disfigured remains of those who had died.

The bodies "kept piling up: the count kept increasing", Bruno Itan reported. The total contained security forces.

A particular victim had been decapitated - additional victims were "severely damaged", he reported. Numerous victims displayed what appeared to be stab wounds.

More than 120 people lost their lives during Tuesday's raid against a criminal group - the bloodiest action the municipality has seen.

The photographer explained that he initially learned about the operation in the early hours by local people of the Alemão neighbourhood, who sent him messages alerting him gunfire had erupted.

The photographer went to the healthcare center, where the casualties were being brought.

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

"Security forces formed a line and said: 'Journalists cannot proceed beyond this point'."

But Itan, who spent his childhood in that neighborhood, stated he succeeded to enter into the restricted zone, where he continued until dawn.

He described during the night, community members commenced searching the elevated terrain which divides the Penha neighborhood from the nearby Alemão neighbourhood for family members whose whereabouts were unknown since the police raid.

Community members from the Penha area proceeded to place the located casualties in an open area - the documented evidence show the emotions of the gathered crowd.

"The brutality of the situation affected me profoundly: the sorrow of the families, parents losing consciousness, women carrying children, sobbing, furious relatives," the eyewitness remembered.

Bruno Itan

The official of the state stated that the large-scale security action involving around 2,500 officers was intended to stopping a criminal group called the criminal faction from growing their influence.

Originally, the Rio state government stated that "60 suspects along with four officers" lost their lives in the operation.

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

Rio's public defender's office, that gives legal support to low-income residents, has calculated the final tally of casualties at 132.

Per investigative findings, Red Command is the only criminal group that recently has succeeded to expand its territory in the state of Rio de Janeiro.

It is generally regarded one of the two largest gangs in the country, together with First Capital Command, and has a history extending half a century.

According to reporter an expert, who has been covering crime in Rio extensively, the gang "works as a system" with neighborhood bosses joining the organization and acting as "business partners".

The criminal group focuses mainly on illegal drug trade, but also smuggles firearms, precious metals, energy resources, beverages and tobacco.

According to the authorities, gang members possess significant weaponry and authorities stated that while the action was underway, they encountered resistance using drone-delivered explosives.

The official of the region, the political leader, described organization participants as "narcoterrorists" and called the four police officers who died during the operation as "heroes".

But the number of fatalities in the operation has come in for criticism with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights expressing they felt "appalled".

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

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

He further explained that the events intensified as the individuals fought back: "It resulted of the counterattack they implemented and the disproportionate use of force from the gang members."

The official also said that the casualties presented by community members in Penha had been "manipulated".

Through a message on social media, he claimed that certain victims had been stripped of the camouflage clothing that he stated they possessed "to transfer accusation onto the police".

Felipe Curi representing security forces additionally stated that "camouflage clothing, vests, and firearms" had been removed from the bodies and showed footage appearing to show an individual removing tactical gear {off a corpse