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The photographer

A reporter who observed the aftermath of a large-scale law enforcement action in Rio de Janeiro has recounted how residents brought back mutilated bodies of those who had died.

The victims "kept coming: 25, 30, 35, 40, 45...", Bruno Itan stated. The total contained those of police officers.

A particular victim had been decapitated - others were "severely damaged", he explained. Many also had what he described as blade trauma.

Over 120 individuals were fatally injured during Tuesday's raid against a criminal group - the bloodiest action Rio has experienced.

The eyewitness explained that he was first alerted about the operation in the early hours by local people from the Alemão area, who contacted him alerting him gunfire had erupted.

The photographer went to a local medical facility, where the casualties were coming in.

The eyewitness reported that security forces stopped members of the press from entering the affected area, where the operation were taking place.

"Law enforcement personnel formed a line and said: 'Media representatives doesn't get past here'."

However, the photographer, who grew up in that neighborhood, explained he succeeded to make his way into the cordoned-off area, where he remained until dawn.

He described that Tuesday night, community members started looking the hillside which divides the community of Penha and the neighboring Alemão community for relatives who had been missing following the security action.

Community members of the Penha neighbourhood organized the recovered bodies in a public space - and Itan's photos display the emotions of the people there.

"The violence of it all affected me profoundly: the pain of the families, women collapsing, expectant spouses, crying, furious relatives," the photographer recalled.

Bruno Itan

The state leader of the region declared that the large-scale security action involving around 2,500 officers was designed to preventing a gang known as the criminal faction from growing their influence.

At first, the Rio state government maintained that sixty alleged criminals plus four law enforcement personnel" were fatally injured during the action.

Authorities later reported that initial estimates suggests that 117 alleged criminals were fatally injured.

Rio's public defender's office, that gives legal support to the poor, has put the final tally of people killed at 132.

Per investigative findings, the gang is the only criminal group which in recent years has been able to increase its control throughout Rio state.

It is widely considered one of the two largest gangs in the country, in company with a rival criminal group, and has a history extending half a century.

Per Brazilian journalist a specialist, who has been covering criminal activity in the city over many years, the gang "functions as a network" with neighborhood bosses forming part of the gang and serving as "commercial associates".

The organization engages primarily in illegal drug trade, but also smuggles guns, valuable minerals, fuel, liquor and tobacco.

Per law enforcement statements, organization members possess significant weaponry and officials reported that during the raid, they encountered resistance via weaponized unmanned aircraft.

The state leader of the state, Cláudio Castro, described gang affiliates as criminal extremists and referred to the law enforcement personnel fatally injured in the action as "heroes".

But the number of fatalities during the raid has faced scrutiny from international human rights authorities stating they were "shocked".

During a press briefing the following day, the state leader supported law enforcement.

"It wasn't our intention to kill anyone. We wanted to take suspects into custody without harm," he stated.

He added that the events intensified because the suspects had retaliated: "It resulted of the resistance they implemented and the excessive violence from the gang members."

The governor further reported that the bodies displayed by locals in Penha were "altered".

Via a statement through digital channels, he said that particular individuals had been removed of military-style attire which he claimed they wore "in order to shift blame onto the police".

Felipe Curi representing security forces further reported that military attire, protective equipment, and arms" had been removed from the bodies and displayed evidence apparently demonstrating an individual cutting camouflage clothing {off a corpse