The bodies just kept coming - reporter shares fatal Rio police raid

Bruno Itan

A photographer who observed the results of an extensive Brazilian police operation in the Brazilian city has reported how community members returned with mutilated bodies of people who lost their lives.

The casualties "kept coming: 25, 30, 35, 40, 45...", the photographer stated. They included law enforcement personnel.

One of the bodies was discovered headless - others were "severely damaged", he said. Numerous victims displayed what he described as stab wounds.

Over 120 individuals were fatally injured in the Tuesday operation targeting an illegal organization - the bloodiest action the municipality has seen.

The eyewitness explained that he was first alerted concerning the action in the early hours by residents of the Alemão neighbourhood, who sent him messages informing him gunfire had erupted.

The photographer traveled to the healthcare center, where the bodies were arriving.

The eyewitness reported that law enforcement blocked media personnel from accessing the affected area, where the operation were occurring.

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

Nevertheless, the eyewitness, who grew up in the area, explained he was able to make his way past the security perimeter, where he stayed until dawn.

He explained that evening, area inhabitants began to search the hillside that borders Penha from the adjacent Alemão area for family members whose whereabouts were unknown following the security action.

Residents from the Penha area organized the recovered bodies in a public space - the photographer's images display the response of those present.

"The violence of it all shook me deeply: the grief of the families, parents losing consciousness, pregnant wives, weeping, outraged parents," the reporter recounted.

The eyewitness

The official of the region stated that the large-scale security action involving around 2,500 security personnel was aimed at halting a criminal group known as the criminal faction from expanding its territory.

At first, state authorities claimed that "60 suspects along with four officers" had been killed during the action.

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

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

Per investigative findings, the criminal organization represents the unique criminal entity which in recent years has been able to increase its control throughout Rio state.

It is widely considered among the biggest criminal organizations in Brazil, in company with another major gang, and has a history extending half a century.

Per Brazilian journalist an expert, who has long reported on illegal operations in Rio for years, the criminal organization "operates like a franchise" with neighborhood bosses forming part of the gang and serving as "operational allies".

The gang engages primarily in drug trafficking, but also smuggles firearms, gold, petroleum products, beverages cigarettes.

According to the authorities, gang members have substantial firearms and authorities stated that throughout the operation, they faced assaults via weaponized unmanned aircraft.

The state leader of the region, the political leader, labeled organization participants as criminal extremists and referred to the security forces killed in the raid as courageous individuals.

Nevertheless, the total of people killed during the raid has faced scrutiny from UN human rights officials saying it was "appalled".

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

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

He continued that the events worsened as the individuals fought back: "It was a consequence of the counterattack they carried out and the disproportionate use of force by those criminals."

The official also said that the victims shown by residents in Penha had been "manipulated".

Through a message on social media, he claimed that certain victims had been taken of the camouflage clothing he said they had been wearing "in order to shift blame toward law enforcement".

A police official representing security forces additionally stated that tactical gear, protective equipment, and weapons" had been removed from the victims and presented video apparently demonstrating an individual stripping military attire {off a corpse