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Bruno Itan

A photographer who documented the aftermath of a massive Brazilian police operation in Rio de Janeiro has described how residents returned with mutilated bodies of those who had died.

The victims "kept piling up: the numbers kept rising", the eyewitness described. Among them were those of police officers.

One individual was found without a head - others were "totally disfigured", he reported. Numerous victims displayed evidence of knife injuries.

In excess of 120 victims were fatally injured during Tuesday's raid on a criminal gang - the deadliest such raid the municipality has seen.

The eyewitness stated that he was first alerted concerning the action in the early hours by residents living in Alemão, who reached out telling him an armed confrontation was occurring.

The reporter traveled to the Getúlio Vargas hospital, where the casualties were being brought.

Itan explained that the police stopped members of the press from accessing the Penha neighborhood, where the security measures were taking place.

"Security forces created a barrier and announced: 'Journalists cannot proceed beyond this point'."

But Itan, who spent his childhood in the area, reported he was able to enter into the cordoned-off area, where he continued through the night.

He described during the night, community members began to search the hillside that borders Penha from the adjacent Alemão area for relatives who had been missing since the police raid.

Local people living in Penha arranged the discovered victims in an open area - the photographer's images display the emotions of the gathered crowd.

"The harsh reality of it all affected me deeply: the grief of the families, mothers fainting, women carrying children, sobbing, furious relatives," the photographer recalled.

Bruno Itan

The state leader of Rio state announced that the massive police operation deploying about 2,500 law enforcement members was aimed at preventing an illegal organization known as Comando Vermelho from increasing their control.

Originally, the Rio state government stated that "60 suspects and four police officers" had been killed in the operation.

Officials subsequently stated that their "preliminary" count suggests that 117 individuals have been killed.

The legal assistance organization, which provides legal assistance to disadvantaged individuals, has put the final tally of casualties to be 132.

Per investigative findings, the gang represents the unique criminal entity that recently has been able to make territorial gains across the region.

It is generally regarded among the biggest criminal organizations in Brazil, in company with a rival criminal group, with a background dating back more than 50 years.

Per reporter Rafael Soares, who has been covering crime in Rio for years, the gang "works as a system" with area gang leaders joining the organization and serving as "business partners".

The gang focuses mainly on illegal drug trade, but also smuggles guns, precious metals, petroleum products, liquor smoking products.

Based on official reports, criminal affiliates have substantial firearms and authorities stated that during the raid, they faced assaults from explosive-laden drones.

The official of Rio state, Cláudio Castro, characterized Red Command members as "narcoterrorists" and referred to the law enforcement personnel killed in the raid as "heroes".

But the number 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 official defended the police force.

"It wasn't our intention to kill anyone. We wanted to detain everyone safely," he stated.

He added that the events had escalated because the suspects fought back: "It resulted of the counterattack they executed and the excessive violence by those criminals."

The state leader further reported that the bodies shown by residents in the neighborhood had been "tampered with".

Through a message on social media, he asserted that particular individuals had been removed of tactical gear he said they had been wearing "to redirect responsibility onto the police".

Felipe Curi of Rio's civil police force additionally stated that "camouflage clothing, body armor, and weapons" had been removed from the victims and presented video apparently demonstrating an individual stripping military attire {off a corpse