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The photographer

A reporter who documented the results of a large-scale security raid in Rio de Janeiro has described how community members brought back badly injured victims of the deceased individuals.

The bodies "kept piling up: 25, 30, 35, 40, 45...", Bruno Itan described. The total contained those of police officers.

One individual was discovered headless - additional victims were "totally disfigured", he reported. Many also had evidence of stab wounds.

Over 120 individuals were fatally injured in the Tuesday operation on a criminal gang - the deadliest such raid the municipality has seen.

The photographer reported that residents first notified him to the raid Tuesday morning by residents from the Alemão area, who contacted him informing him an armed confrontation was occurring.

The eyewitness went to a local medical facility, where the victims were being brought.

Itan explained that security forces blocked media personnel from accessing the affected area, where the police action was under way.

"Security forces established a perimeter and declared: 'Journalists are not allowed to pass'."

But Itan, who grew up in the area, stated he succeeded to enter into the restricted zone, where he remained through the night.

He reported that Tuesday night, local residents commenced searching the elevated terrain which divides the community of Penha and the neighboring Alemão community for loved ones whose whereabouts were unknown following the security action.

Residents of the Penha neighbourhood arranged the discovered victims in a square - the photographer's images display the response of the gathered crowd.

"The violence of what occurred impacted me profoundly: the pain of the families, mothers fainting, pregnant wives, weeping, angry family members," the eyewitness remembered.

Bruno Itan

The official of the region announced that the large-scale security action with approximately 2,500 security personnel was intended to halting a criminal group known as the criminal faction from growing their influence.

At first, local officials claimed that "60 suspects plus four law enforcement personnel" had been killed during the action.

Authorities later reported that their "preliminary" count indicates that 117 individuals have been killed.

The legal assistance organization, which provides legal assistance to disadvantaged individuals, has estimated the final tally of fatalities as 132.

Based on expert analysis, the gang represents the unique criminal entity that in the past few years has been able to make territorial gains throughout Rio state.

Experts commonly view one of the two largest gangs in the country, alongside another major gang, featuring a timeline dating back more than 50 years.

Per correspondent Rafael Soares, with extensive experience documenting crime in Rio for years, Red Command "works as a system" with neighborhood bosses forming part of the gang and serving as "business partners".

The gang concentrates largely on narcotics distribution, but also smuggles firearms, precious metals, petroleum products, alcohol smoking products.

Based on official reports, gang members have substantial firearms and officials reported that during the raid, they faced assaults using drone-delivered explosives.

The governor of the state, the political leader, characterized Red Command members as criminal extremists and referred to the security forces who died during the operation as brave public servants.

Nevertheless, the total of people killed in the security action has received condemnation from international human rights authorities expressing they felt "shocked".

At a news conference the following day, the state leader justified security actions.

"It wasn't our intention to result in deaths. We intended to detain everyone safely," he stated.

He added that the events worsened because the suspects had retaliated: "It resulted of the counterattack they carried out and the excessive violence by the illegal group."

The governor further reported that the victims presented by community members in the neighborhood had been "tampered with".

Through a message through digital channels, he said that particular individuals had been stripped of military-style attire that he stated they possessed "to transfer accusation toward law enforcement".

Felipe Curi of Rio's civil police force further reported that military attire, vests, and arms" were taken away from the victims and showed footage seemingly depicting a man stripping military attire {off a corpse