The victims kept arriving - eyewitness describes lethal Rio police raid

Bruno Itan

An eyewitness who witnessed the results of a massive law enforcement action in the metropolitan area has reported how residents returned with mutilated bodies of people who lost their lives.

The casualties "kept coming: 25, 30, 35, 40, 45...", the photographer stated. Among them were security forces.

One of the bodies was discovered headless - others were "severely damaged", he said. Several bodies showed evidence of blade trauma.

More than 120 people were fatally injured in the Tuesday operation targeting an illegal organization - the bloodiest action the municipality has seen.

Bruno Itan stated that he was first alerted concerning the action early on Tuesday by local people living in Alemão, who reached out telling him an armed confrontation was occurring.

The photographer made his way to the Getúlio Vargas hospital, where the bodies were being brought.

The photographer stated that law enforcement blocked media personnel from accessing the affected area, where the security measures was under way.

"Police officers created a barrier and said: 'The press cannot proceed beyond this point'."

But Itan, who spent his childhood in the community, explained he managed to make his way past the security perimeter, where he continued until dawn.

He explained that evening, local residents began to search the mountainous area that borders the community of Penha and the nearby Alemão neighbourhood for loved ones whose whereabouts were unknown following the security action.

Residents living in Penha organized the discovered victims in a square - the documented evidence display the response of the gathered crowd.

"The violence of it all impacted me deeply: the grief of the families, parents losing consciousness, expectant spouses, crying, outraged parents," the reporter recounted.

The eyewitness

The state leader of Rio state announced that the large-scale security action deploying about 2,500 officers was designed to stopping a criminal group called Red Command from expanding its territory.

At first, state authorities claimed that "60 suspects plus four law enforcement personnel" were fatally injured in the raid.

Officials subsequently stated that their "preliminary" count suggests that 117 individuals lost their lives.

The public legal service, that offers legal help to disadvantaged individuals, has estimated the final tally of people killed to be 132.

According to researchers, the gang represents the unique criminal entity that in the past few years has managed to increase its control across the region.

Experts commonly view one of the two largest gangs nationally, together with First Capital Command, featuring a timeline extending half a century.

Based on Brazilian journalist an expert, who has been covering criminal activity in the city extensively, the gang "operates like a franchise" with local criminal leaders affiliating with the group and serving as "business partners".

The organization concentrates largely on drug trafficking, but also smuggles firearms, valuable minerals, fuel, alcohol smoking products.

Based on official reports, organization members are well armed and officials reported that during the raid, they faced assaults using drone-delivered explosives.

The official of Rio state, Cláudio Castro, labeled organization participants as criminal extremists and referred to the security forces killed in the raid as brave public servants.

Nevertheless, the total of casualties in the security action has faced scrutiny from international human rights authorities expressing they felt "horrified".

During a press briefing the following day, Governor Castro justified security actions.

"We did not plan to kill anyone. We wanted to detain everyone safely," he stated.

He added that the events intensified due to the alleged criminals fought back: "It occurred of the counterattack they implemented and the excessive violence from the gang members."

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

Through a message through digital channels, he claimed that certain victims had been stripped of tactical gear that he stated they possessed "to transfer accusation to security forces".

A police official from the police department additionally stated that military attire, body armor, and arms" were stripped from the bodies and presented video apparently demonstrating an individual cutting camouflage clothing {off a corpse