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The photographer

An eyewitness who observed the aftermath of an extensive law enforcement action in the metropolitan area has reported how residents brought back mutilated bodies of people who lost their lives.

The casualties "kept coming: the numbers kept rising", Bruno Itan described. Among them were law enforcement personnel.

One of the bodies was discovered headless - additional victims were "totally disfigured", he said. Many also had evidence of stab wounds.

Over 120 individuals were fatally injured during the security action targeting an illegal organization - the bloodiest action in the city.

The eyewitness explained that he was first alerted to the raid in the early hours by residents living in Alemão, who contacted him alerting him there was a shoot-out.

The photographer traveled to the healthcare center, where the victims were coming in.

The eyewitness reported that law enforcement blocked media personnel from entering the affected area, where the operation were taking place.

"Police officers established a perimeter and declared: 'Journalists are not allowed to pass'."

However, the photographer, who spent his childhood in the area, explained he was able to enter past the security perimeter, where he stayed through the night.

He explained that evening, area inhabitants started looking the elevated terrain that separates the Penha neighborhood from the neighboring Alemão community for family members who were unaccounted for following the security action.

Community members living in Penha arranged the discovered victims in an open area - the photographer's images reveal the reaction of those present.

"The harsh reality of what occurred impacted me deeply: the pain of loved ones, parents losing consciousness, pregnant wives, weeping, furious relatives," the photographer recalled.

Bruno Itan

The official of the region announced that the extensive law enforcement effort involving around 2,500 security personnel was designed to stopping a criminal group known as Comando Vermelho from increasing their control.

Originally, state authorities stated that sixty individuals and four police officers" had been killed in the raid.

Officials subsequently stated that their "preliminary" count suggests that 117 individuals were fatally injured.

Rio's public defender's office, that gives legal support to the poor, has put the final tally of fatalities at 132.

Based on expert analysis, the gang represents the unique criminal entity that in the past few years has succeeded to increase its control across the region.

It is widely considered as a major illegal faction in the country, alongside a rival criminal group, featuring a timeline extending half a century.

Per correspondent an expert, who has long reported on criminal activity in the city over many years, the gang "functions as a network" with area gang leaders affiliating with the group and acting as "business partners".

The criminal group concentrates largely on illegal drug trade, but also smuggles firearms, precious metals, petroleum products, beverages and tobacco.

Based on official reports, organization members are well armed and authorities stated that while the action was underway, they came under attack via weaponized unmanned aircraft.

The governor of the region, the political leader, described organization participants as criminal extremists and referred to the law enforcement personnel fatally injured in the action as brave public servants.

However, the count of fatalities in the security action has faced scrutiny with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights saying it was "horrified".

In a media appearance the following day, the state leader defended the police force.

"We did not plan to kill anyone. We aimed to detain everyone safely," he declared.

He added that the events had escalated due to the alleged criminals resisted aggressively: "It occurred of the resistance they implemented and the excessive violence from the gang members."

The official further reported that the victims displayed by locals in the neighborhood had been "manipulated".

In a post through digital channels, he asserted that some of them had been removed of military-style attire which he claimed they wore "in order to shift blame toward law enforcement".

A law enforcement representative representing security forces further reported that "camouflage clothing, vests, and arms" had been removed from the bodies and showed footage appearing to show a person cutting camouflage clothing {off a corpse