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The eyewitness

A reporter who documented the consequences of a large-scale law enforcement action in the metropolitan area has recounted how community members brought back badly injured victims of people who lost their lives.

The bodies "continued arriving: the count kept increasing", the photographer reported. Among them were law enforcement personnel.

A particular victim had been decapitated - others were "totally disfigured", he reported. Several bodies showed what he described as knife injuries.

Over 120 individuals were killed during Tuesday's raid on a criminal gang - the deadliest such raid Rio has experienced.

The photographer stated that he initially learned about the operation in the early hours by residents living in Alemão, who reached out informing him an armed confrontation was occurring.

The eyewitness went to the healthcare center, where the casualties were coming in.

Itan explained that law enforcement stopped members of the press from going into the Penha neighborhood, where the security measures were occurring.

"Police officers created a barrier and said: 'Journalists are not allowed to pass'."

But Itan, who was raised in the community, stated he managed to enter into the cordoned-off area, where he remained until the next morning.

He reported that evening, community members commenced searching 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 organized the discovered victims in an open area - the documented evidence display the response of the people there.

"The harsh reality of it all shook me deeply: the grief of relatives, women collapsing, expectant spouses, crying, furious relatives," the eyewitness remembered.

Bruno Itan

The governor of Rio state announced that the large-scale security action with approximately 2,500 security personnel was aimed at stopping a gang known as the criminal faction from increasing their control.

Initially, the Rio state government claimed that sixty alleged criminals and four police officers" lost their lives in the operation.

Officials subsequently stated that initial estimates suggests that 117 alleged criminals were fatally injured.

The public legal service, which provides legal assistance to disadvantaged individuals, has estimated the final tally of casualties to be 132.

Per investigative findings, the gang represents the unique criminal entity which in recent years has been able to expand its territory throughout Rio state.

It is generally regarded one of the two largest gangs in the country, alongside a rival criminal group, and has a history dating back more than 50 years.

Per reporter an expert, who has been covering illegal operations in Rio extensively, the gang "works as a system" with neighborhood bosses joining the organization and acting as "commercial associates".

The criminal group engages primarily in illegal drug trade, but also smuggles firearms, valuable minerals, petroleum products, beverages smoking products.

According to the authorities, organization members possess significant weaponry and authorities stated that during the raid, they encountered resistance from explosive-laden drones.

The state leader of the state, the political leader, characterized gang affiliates as criminal extremists and described the four police officers fatally injured in the action as "heroes".

Nevertheless, the total of people killed during the raid has faced scrutiny with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights stating they were "appalled".

At a news conference the next day, the state leader defended the police force.

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

He continued that the situation worsened because the suspects fought back: "It was a consequence of the resistance they executed and the overwhelming response by the illegal group."

The official additionally stated that the victims shown by residents in the neighborhood had been "manipulated".

Via a statement through digital channels, he asserted that some of them had been removed of the camouflage clothing that he stated they possessed "to transfer accusation to security forces".

A law enforcement representative of Rio's civil police force further reported that military attire, vests, and arms" were taken away from the casualties and showed footage seemingly depicting a person cutting camouflage clothing {off a corpse