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The eyewitness

An eyewitness who documented the consequences of a massive law enforcement action in the metropolitan area has described how residents brought back disfigured remains of the deceased individuals.

The victims "kept coming: the count kept increasing", the eyewitness stated. The total contained those of police officers.

A particular victim was found without a head - while others appeared "severely damaged", he said. Many also had evidence of stab wounds.

In excess of 120 victims were fatally injured in the Tuesday operation against a criminal group - the bloodiest action in the city.

The photographer explained that residents first notified him to the raid early on Tuesday by local people from the Alemão area, who contacted him alerting him there was a shoot-out.

The photographer traveled to a local medical facility, where the victims were arriving.

Itan explained that the police blocked media personnel from going into the affected area, where the security measures were taking place.

"Police officers created a barrier and said: 'The press doesn't get past here'."

But Itan, who grew up in the community, explained he was able to make his way past the security perimeter, where he stayed until dawn.

He described during the night, community members started looking the elevated terrain which divides the community of Penha and the adjacent Alemão area for loved ones whose whereabouts were unknown since the police raid.

Residents living in Penha arranged the discovered victims in a public space - the documented evidence reveal the emotions of the gathered crowd.

"The brutality of the situation affected me deeply: the sorrow of relatives, women collapsing, women carrying children, sobbing, outraged parents," the eyewitness remembered.

Bruno Itan

The governor of the state announced that the large-scale security action with approximately 2,500 officers was designed to stopping a gang called Red Command from expanding its territory.

Originally, the Rio state government stated that sixty alleged criminals plus four law enforcement personnel" had been killed in the operation.

Authorities later reported that initial estimates suggests that 117 individuals have been killed.

The public legal service, that gives legal support to low-income residents, has calculated the overall count of casualties at 132.

According to researchers, Red Command represents the unique criminal entity that recently has been able to expand its territory in the state of Rio de Janeiro.

Experts commonly view one of the two largest gangs nationally, alongside a rival criminal group, and has a history extending half a century.

Based on reporter Rafael Soares, who has been covering crime in Rio for years, Red Command "functions as a network" with neighborhood bosses affiliating with the group and acting as "commercial associates".

The gang engages primarily in narcotics distribution, but also smuggles firearms, precious metals, fuel, liquor cigarettes.

Based on official reports, criminal affiliates have substantial firearms and police said that throughout the operation, they faced assaults from explosive-laden drones.

The state leader of the region, the political leader, labeled gang affiliates as drug terrorists and referred to the law enforcement personnel fatally injured in the action as "heroes".

But the number of people killed in the operation has faced scrutiny with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights saying it was "horrified".

In a media appearance the next day, the official defended the police force.

"There was no objective to result in deaths. We aimed to detain everyone safely," he said.

He added that the events had escalated due to the alleged criminals had retaliated: "It occurred of the counterattack they executed and the excessive violence from the gang members."

The governor additionally stated that the casualties presented by community members in the neighborhood had been "tampered with".

Via a statement through digital channels, he claimed that certain victims had been stripped of military-style attire he said they had been wearing "to transfer accusation onto the police".

A law enforcement representative representing security forces further reported that tactical gear, body armor, and firearms" were stripped from the victims and showed footage seemingly depicting a person removing tactical gear {off a corpse