The victims kept arriving - photographer recounts deadly Rio security action

The eyewitness

A photographer who observed the consequences of a large-scale law enforcement action in the Brazilian city has recounted how local people came back with disfigured remains of people who lost their lives.

The bodies "kept piling up: the numbers kept rising", Bruno Itan stated. They included law enforcement personnel.

One individual was discovered headless - while others appeared "completely mutilated", he reported. Several bodies showed what appeared to be stab wounds.

In excess of 120 victims lost their lives in the Tuesday operation on a criminal gang - the bloodiest action Rio has experienced.

The photographer reported that he was first alerted about the operation Tuesday morning by community members from the Alemão area, who sent him messages alerting him there was a shoot-out.

The eyewitness traveled to the healthcare center, where the casualties were arriving.

The photographer stated that the police blocked media personnel from going into the affected area, where the police action was under way.

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

Nevertheless, the eyewitness, who grew up in that neighborhood, reported he succeeded to enter into the restricted zone, where he continued until dawn.

He reported that evening, local residents commenced searching the hillside which divides the community of Penha and the neighboring Alemão community for relatives who were unaccounted for after the operation.

Community members living in Penha proceeded to place the discovered victims in an open area - and Itan's photos reveal the emotions of those present.

"The harsh reality of the situation shook me a lot: the grief of the families, women collapsing, expectant spouses, weeping, angry family members," the eyewitness remembered.

The photographer

The official of Rio state declared that the massive police operation with approximately 2,500 law enforcement members was intended to preventing an illegal organization known as Red Command from increasing their control.

At first, state authorities maintained that "60 suspects and four police officers" were fatally injured in the operation.

Authorities later reported that early calculations indicates that 117 alleged criminals lost their lives.

Rio's public defender's office, that offers legal help to low-income residents, has estimated the final tally of fatalities as 132.

Based on expert analysis, the criminal organization is the only criminal group which in recent years has succeeded to expand its territory throughout Rio state.

Experts commonly view among the biggest criminal organizations nationally, alongside a rival criminal group, and has a history spanning over five decades.

According to reporter an expert, who has long reported on illegal operations in Rio over many years, the criminal organization "operates like a franchise" with neighborhood bosses forming part of the gang and acting as "operational allies".

The organization focuses mainly on narcotics distribution, additionally trafficking weapons, precious metals, petroleum products, alcohol and tobacco.

Per law enforcement statements, organization members have substantial firearms and police said that while the action was underway, they came under attack from explosive-laden drones.

The state leader of Rio state, Cláudio Castro, characterized gang affiliates as "narcoterrorists" and called the law enforcement personnel fatally injured in the action as "heroes".

But the number of people killed in the operation has faced scrutiny from international human rights authorities stating they were "appalled".

In a media appearance the next day, the official defended the police force.

"There was no objective to result in deaths. We wanted to take suspects into custody without harm," he declared.

He further explained that the events had escalated as the individuals had retaliated: "It occurred of the resistance they executed and the excessive violence by the illegal group."

The governor further reported that the victims shown by residents in the area had been "tampered with".

Via a statement on online platforms, he said that certain victims had been taken of tactical gear which he claimed they wore "in order to shift blame onto the police".

A law enforcement representative representing security forces further reported that "camouflage clothing, vests, and weapons" were stripped from the victims and displayed evidence seemingly depicting a person stripping military attire {off a corpse