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The eyewitness

A photographer who observed the consequences of an extensive security raid in the metropolitan area has recounted how community members returned with disfigured remains of those who had died.

The casualties "continued arriving: the numbers kept rising", Bruno Itan reported. The total contained those of police officers.

A particular victim was discovered headless - additional victims were "completely mutilated", he explained. Numerous victims displayed evidence of knife injuries.

Over 120 individuals lost their lives during Tuesday's raid on a criminal gang - the most lethal operation in the city.

The eyewitness reported that he was first alerted concerning the action Tuesday morning by community members of the Alemão neighbourhood, who reached out informing him an armed confrontation was occurring.

The eyewitness went to a local medical facility, where the victims were arriving.

Itan explained that the police prevented journalists from accessing the operation zone, where the police action were occurring.

"Police officers established a perimeter and said: 'Media representatives doesn't get past here'."

But Itan, who grew up in the community, reported he was able to enter into the restricted zone, where he stayed until dawn.

He explained during the night, community members started looking the mountainous area which divides Penha from the adjacent Alemão area for relatives who had been missing since the police raid.

Residents living in Penha proceeded to place the located casualties in a square - the documented evidence reveal the reaction of those present.

"The violence of it all affected me a lot: the grief of relatives, parents losing consciousness, women carrying children, crying, furious relatives," the eyewitness remembered.

The photographer

The official of the region stated that the large-scale security action deploying about 2,500 security personnel was designed to stopping a gang known as Red Command from growing their influence.

At first, state authorities stated that sixty individuals along with four officers" had been killed in the operation.

Authorities later reported that their "preliminary" count shows that 117 alleged criminals were fatally injured.

The legal assistance organization, that gives legal support to disadvantaged individuals, has calculated the final tally of people killed to be 132.

Based on expert analysis, the gang is the only criminal group that recently has succeeded to make territorial gains in the state of Rio de Janeiro.

It is generally regarded as a major illegal faction nationally, in company with another major gang, and has a history dating back more than 50 years.

According to Brazilian journalist Rafael Soares, who has been covering crime in Rio over many years, the criminal organization "functions as a network" with neighborhood bosses forming part of the gang and acting as "operational allies".

The gang engages primarily in narcotics distribution, but also smuggles weapons, valuable minerals, energy resources, liquor cigarettes.

Per law enforcement statements, criminal affiliates have substantial firearms and authorities stated that during the raid, they came under attack via weaponized unmanned aircraft.

The state leader of the region, Cláudio Castro, labeled Red Command members as criminal extremists and referred to the security forces who died during the operation as courageous individuals.

However, the count of people killed in the security action has received condemnation from international human rights authorities expressing they felt "shocked".

During a press briefing the following day, the state leader defended the police force.

"We did not plan to cause fatalities. We intended to detain everyone safely," he said.

He continued that the events intensified as the individuals resisted aggressively: "It resulted of the resistance they carried out and the disproportionate use of force from the gang members."

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

In a post on social media, he claimed that particular individuals had been removed of the camouflage clothing that he stated they possessed "to redirect responsibility toward law enforcement".

Felipe Curi from the police department additionally stated that "camouflage clothing, body armor, and arms" were taken away from the bodies and presented video apparently demonstrating a person cutting camouflage clothing {off a corpse