🔗 Share this article The bodies just kept coming - reporter shares deadly Rio security action The photographer Numerous victims were arranged in an open area in the Rio neighborhood in the wake of the deadliest police raid Rio has ever seen A photographer who witnessed the aftermath of a massive Brazilian police operation in the metropolitan area has described how residents brought back mutilated bodies of those who had died. The victims "continued arriving: 25, 30, 35, 40, 45...", Bruno Itan described. They included law enforcement personnel. One of the bodies was found without a head - additional victims were "completely mutilated", he said. Numerous victims displayed evidence of blade trauma. Over 120 individuals were fatally injured during the security action against a criminal group - the deadliest such raid the municipality has seen. More than 100 people were detained as part of the security raid The photographer stated that residents first notified him to the raid Tuesday morning by residents from the Alemão area, who reached out informing him there was a shoot-out. The photographer went to a local medical facility, where the bodies were coming in. The eyewitness reported that security forces prevented journalists from going into the operation zone, where the police action were occurring. "Security forces established a perimeter and announced: 'Media representatives doesn't get past here'." But Itan, who spent his childhood in the community, reported he succeeded to make his way into the cordoned-off area, where he remained until the next morning. He described that Tuesday night, community members began to search the hillside which divides the community of Penha and the neighboring Alemão community for family members whose whereabouts were unknown since the police raid. Residents from the Penha area proceeded to place the recovered bodies in a public space - the photographer's images reveal the emotions of the gathered crowd. "The harsh reality of the situation affected me profoundly: the grief of loved ones, women collapsing, women carrying children, sobbing, furious relatives," the photographer recalled. The photographer There was trauma in the community as residents retrieved increasing numbers of casualties from the surrounding area The state leader of Rio state stated that the massive police operation deploying about 2,500 security personnel was designed to stopping a gang called the criminal faction from expanding its territory. Originally, local officials stated that "60 suspects and four police officers" were fatally injured in the operation. Officials subsequently stated that initial estimates shows that 117 alleged criminals have been killed. The legal assistance organization, that gives legal support to disadvantaged individuals, has estimated the overall count of people killed as 132. Per investigative findings, Red Command represents the unique criminal entity that recently has succeeded to expand its territory throughout Rio state. It is generally regarded one of the two largest gangs in the country, together with another major gang, with a background extending half a century. According to Brazilian journalist an expert, who has long reported on illegal operations in Rio extensively, Red Command "operates like a franchise" with area gang leaders forming part of the gang and acting as "operational allies". The organization concentrates largely on drug trafficking, but also smuggles guns, precious metals, energy resources, alcohol and tobacco. According to the authorities, gang members have substantial firearms and authorities stated that throughout the operation, they came under attack via weaponized unmanned aircraft. The state leader of Rio state, the political leader, labeled Red Command members as criminal extremists and described the security forces killed in the raid as "heroes". But the number of casualties in the operation has received condemnation with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights expressing they felt "shocked". At a news conference the following day, the official justified security actions. "It wasn't our intention to cause fatalities. We aimed to take suspects into custody without harm," he declared. He further explained that the events worsened due to the alleged criminals resisted aggressively: "It occurred of the counterattack they executed and the excessive violence by the illegal group." The state leader also said that the bodies displayed by locals in the area had been "manipulated". Via a statement through digital channels, he claimed that certain victims had been removed of military-style attire which he claimed they wore "to transfer accusation to security forces". A police official representing security forces additionally stated that tactical gear, protective equipment, and arms" were stripped from the casualties and showed footage appearing to show a person stripping military attire {off a corpse