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The eyewitness

An eyewitness who witnessed the results of an extensive security raid in the metropolitan area has recounted how local people came back with disfigured remains of people who lost their lives.

The bodies "kept piling up: the count kept increasing", Bruno Itan reported. The total contained law enforcement personnel.

A particular victim was found without a head - additional victims were "severely damaged", he reported. Several bodies showed what appeared to be stab wounds.

In excess of 120 victims were fatally injured during the security action against a criminal group - the deadliest such raid the municipality has seen.

The eyewitness explained that he was first alerted concerning the action in the early hours by local people living in Alemão, who contacted him telling him there was a shoot-out.

The eyewitness made his way to a local medical facility, where the casualties were being brought.

The photographer stated that the police prevented journalists from accessing the Penha neighborhood, where the police action were occurring.

"Security forces formed a line and announced: 'The press doesn't get past here'."

But Itan, who grew up in that neighborhood, reported he was able to make his way past the security perimeter, where he remained until the next morning.

He described that Tuesday night, local residents began to search the elevated terrain that separates the community of Penha and the adjacent Alemão area for loved ones whose whereabouts were unknown following the security action.

Community members living in Penha arranged the recovered bodies in a public space - and Itan's photos reveal the response of the gathered crowd.

"The violence of what occurred impacted me deeply: the pain of loved ones, parents losing consciousness, women carrying children, weeping, outraged parents," the photographer recalled.

The photographer

The state leader of the state announced that the massive police operation involving around 2,500 law enforcement members was designed to stopping an illegal organization known as the criminal faction from increasing their control.

Initially, the Rio state government claimed that "60 suspects along with four officers" had been killed during the action.

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

The legal assistance organization, that gives legal support to disadvantaged individuals, has estimated the overall count of fatalities as 132.

According to researchers, the gang stands as the sole illegal faction that recently has succeeded to make territorial gains across the region.

It is widely considered as a major illegal faction in the country, in company with a rival criminal group, with a background spanning over five decades.

Per correspondent an expert, with extensive experience documenting criminal activity in the city over many years, the criminal organization "works as a system" with area gang leaders joining the organization and acting as "commercial associates".

The organization focuses mainly on drug trafficking, while also dealing in firearms, gold, energy resources, liquor cigarettes.

Per law enforcement statements, gang members have substantial firearms and authorities stated that while the action was underway, they encountered resistance via weaponized unmanned aircraft.

The state leader of the state, the government representative, characterized gang affiliates as "narcoterrorists" and described the four police officers killed in the raid as "heroes".

Nevertheless, the total of casualties in the security action has faced scrutiny from international human rights authorities saying it was "shocked".

In a media appearance on Wednesday, the state leader defended the police force.

"We did not plan to kill anyone. We intended to take suspects into custody without harm," he said.

He further explained that the events intensified as the individuals resisted aggressively: "It occurred of the retaliation they implemented and the excessive violence from the gang members."

The governor further reported that the bodies displayed by locals in Penha had been "manipulated".

Via a statement on online platforms, he said that certain victims had been removed of tactical gear that he stated they possessed "to transfer accusation to security forces".

Felipe Curi representing security forces additionally stated that military attire, protective equipment, and arms" had been removed from the bodies and presented video seemingly depicting a man stripping military attire {off a corpse