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The eyewitness

An eyewitness who observed the results of a large-scale Brazilian police operation in the Brazilian city has described how community members returned with disfigured remains of those who had died.

The casualties "kept coming: 25, 30, 35, 40, 45...", the eyewitness described. They included those of police officers.

A particular victim was discovered headless - others were "totally disfigured", he said. Several bodies showed what he described as blade trauma.

In excess of 120 victims lost their lives during the security action against a criminal group - the bloodiest action Rio has experienced.

The eyewitness stated that he initially learned concerning the action Tuesday morning by local people of the Alemão neighbourhood, who reached out alerting him gunfire had erupted.

The reporter traveled to the healthcare center, where the victims were being brought.

The photographer stated that the police prevented journalists from going into the Penha neighborhood, where the operation were taking place.

"Police officers established a perimeter and declared: 'Media representatives cannot proceed beyond this point'."

Nevertheless, the eyewitness, who was raised in the community, explained he managed to enter into the restricted zone, where he stayed until the next morning.

He reported during the night, local residents commenced searching the hillside that separates the community of Penha and the adjacent Alemão area for relatives who had been missing following the security action.

Local people of the Penha neighbourhood organized the recovered bodies in a public space - the documented evidence reveal the emotions of those present.

"The violence of what occurred affected me a lot: the pain of the families, parents losing consciousness, women carrying children, sobbing, furious relatives," the reporter recounted.

Bruno Itan

The state leader of the state announced that the massive police operation deploying about 2,500 officers was intended to stopping a gang known as the criminal faction from growing their influence.

Initially, state authorities stated that "60 suspects plus four law enforcement personnel" lost their lives in the operation.

Officials subsequently stated that initial estimates indicates that 117 "suspects" lost their lives.

Rio's public defender's office, that gives legal support to disadvantaged individuals, has calculated the final tally of people killed as 132.

Per investigative findings, Red Command stands as the sole illegal faction that in the past few years has managed to expand its territory throughout Rio state.

It is widely considered one of the two largest gangs in Brazil, together with First Capital Command, and has a history spanning over five decades.

Per reporter an expert, with extensive experience documenting criminal activity in the city for years, the gang "functions as a network" with area gang leaders joining the organization and acting as "business partners".

The organization focuses mainly on drug trafficking, but also smuggles weapons, valuable minerals, energy resources, liquor cigarettes.

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

The state leader of the state, Cláudio Castro, characterized Red Command members as drug terrorists and called the security forces fatally injured in the action as courageous individuals.

But the number of people killed in the security action has received condemnation with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights stating they were "shocked".

At a news conference the next day, the official supported law enforcement.

"It wasn't our intention to result in deaths. We intended to take suspects into custody without harm," he declared.

He continued that the circumstances intensified because the suspects fought back: "It resulted of the retaliation they carried out and the overwhelming response by the illegal group."

The governor also said that the bodies displayed by locals in the area had been "tampered with".

In a post through digital channels, he asserted that some of them had been stripped of tactical gear he said they had been wearing "to transfer accusation to security forces".

Felipe Curi of Rio's civil police force further reported that "camouflage clothing, protective equipment, and weapons" were taken away from the casualties and showed footage apparently demonstrating a man stripping military attire {off a corpse