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Bruno Itan

An eyewitness who documented the consequences of a massive law enforcement action in Rio de Janeiro has described how community members came back with badly injured victims of the deceased individuals.

The victims "continued arriving: the numbers kept rising", the eyewitness described. Among them were law enforcement personnel.

A particular victim was discovered headless - while others appeared "severely damaged", he said. Numerous victims displayed what appeared to be stab wounds.

In excess of 120 victims were fatally injured during the security action on a criminal gang - the most lethal operation Rio has experienced.

Bruno Itan explained that residents first notified him concerning the action Tuesday morning by community members living in Alemão, who contacted him informing him gunfire had erupted.

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

The photographer stated that law enforcement prevented journalists from going into the Penha neighborhood, where the security measures were taking place.

"Law enforcement personnel created a barrier and said: 'The press doesn't get past here'."

However, the photographer, who was raised in the community, explained he succeeded to enter into the cordoned-off area, where he remained until dawn.

He explained that evening, local residents commenced searching the mountainous area which divides Penha from the nearby Alemão neighbourhood for relatives who were unaccounted for since the police raid.

Residents of the Penha neighbourhood organized the discovered victims in a public space - and Itan's photos display the reaction of those present.

"The harsh reality of it all affected me deeply: the pain of loved ones, mothers fainting, women carrying children, crying, outraged parents," the photographer recalled.

The eyewitness

The governor of the region stated that the large-scale security action involving around 2,500 security personnel was aimed at stopping a gang known as Comando Vermelho from growing their influence.

At first, the Rio state government stated that "60 suspects along with four officers" were fatally injured in the operation.

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

The public legal service, which provides legal assistance to low-income residents, has put the total number of casualties at 132.

According to researchers, the gang stands as the sole illegal faction that in the past few years has succeeded to expand its territory in the state of Rio de Janeiro.

It is widely considered among the biggest criminal organizations nationally, in company with First Capital Command, with a background extending half a century.

Based on correspondent Rafael Soares, who has been covering illegal operations in Rio extensively, the gang "functions as a network" with neighborhood bosses forming part of the gang and becoming "business partners".

The gang focuses mainly on illegal drug trade, but also smuggles weapons, valuable minerals, energy resources, liquor smoking products.

According to the authorities, criminal affiliates possess significant weaponry and police said that throughout the operation, they encountered resistance via weaponized unmanned aircraft.

The official of the region, the political leader, described gang affiliates as "narcoterrorists" and called the four police officers who died during the operation as "heroes".

Nevertheless, the total of casualties in the security action has faced scrutiny from international human rights authorities expressing they felt "appalled".

During a press briefing on Wednesday, Governor Castro defended the police force.

"There was no objective to result in deaths. We aimed to take suspects into custody without harm," he stated.

He continued that the events had escalated as the individuals had retaliated: "It resulted of the retaliation they carried out and the overwhelming response from the gang members."

The governor also said that the victims shown by residents in Penha were "altered".

Via a statement on social media, he asserted that particular individuals had been stripped of tactical gear which he claimed they wore "to redirect responsibility toward law enforcement".

Felipe Curi representing security forces also said that tactical gear, body armor, and firearms" were taken away from the bodies and showed footage seemingly depicting a person cutting camouflage clothing {off a corpse