🔗 Share this article The victims kept arriving - photographer recounts deadly Rio law enforcement operation Bruno Itan Dozens of bodies were laid out in a public space in northern Rio after the deadliest police raid the municipality has experienced A photographer who documented the aftermath of a massive Brazilian police operation in the Brazilian city has recounted how local people came back with mutilated bodies of the deceased individuals. The bodies "kept piling up: the count kept increasing", Bruno Itan described. They included security forces. One of the bodies was found without a head - while others appeared "severely damaged", he reported. Numerous victims displayed what he described as stab wounds. In excess of 120 victims were fatally injured in the Tuesday operation on a criminal gang - the most lethal operation Rio has experienced. In excess of 100 suspects were arrested during the operation The eyewitness reported that he was first alerted to the raid early on Tuesday by residents from the Alemão area, who reached out informing him gunfire had erupted. The eyewitness traveled to the healthcare center, where the bodies were being brought. The eyewitness reported that law enforcement blocked media personnel from accessing the Penha neighborhood, where the operation were taking place. "Law enforcement personnel created a barrier and announced: 'Media representatives doesn't get past here'." Nevertheless, the eyewitness, who was raised in that neighborhood, stated he was able to enter into the restricted zone, where he continued until the next morning. He explained during the night, area inhabitants commenced searching the mountainous area that separates Penha from the adjacent Alemão area for loved ones whose whereabouts were unknown since the police raid. Local people of the Penha neighbourhood organized the recovered bodies in an open area - the photographer's images display the emotions of those present. "The brutality of the situation affected me a lot: the grief of loved ones, mothers fainting, expectant spouses, crying, furious relatives," the photographer recalled. The photographer There was trauma in the community as community members found increasing numbers of casualties from the adjacent terrain The official of the region announced that the extensive law enforcement effort with approximately 2,500 officers was aimed at halting a gang called the criminal faction from growing their influence. Initially, state authorities stated that "60 suspects plus four law enforcement personnel" had been killed in the operation. They have since said that early calculations suggests that 117 "suspects" lost their lives. The legal assistance organization, that offers legal help to the poor, has calculated the final tally of fatalities at 132. Based on expert analysis, Red Command is the only criminal group that in the past few years has managed to increase its control across the region. Experts commonly view one of the two largest gangs nationally, in company with First Capital Command, featuring a timeline spanning over five decades. According to Brazilian journalist a specialist, who has been covering illegal operations in Rio over many years, the gang "operates like a franchise" with local criminal leaders affiliating with the group and becoming "commercial associates". The gang concentrates largely on illegal drug trade, but also smuggles weapons, precious metals, energy resources, liquor and tobacco. Based on official reports, gang members are well armed and authorities stated that throughout the operation, they encountered resistance via weaponized unmanned aircraft. The official of Rio state, Cláudio Castro, labeled gang affiliates as drug terrorists and called the security forces who died during the operation as courageous individuals. But the number of people killed in the operation has faced scrutiny from international human rights authorities saying it was "horrified". During a press briefing the next day, the state leader defended the police force. "We did not plan to result in deaths. We wanted to detain everyone safely," he stated. He added that the events worsened due to the alleged criminals fought back: "It occurred of the counterattack they executed and the overwhelming response from the gang members." The official also said that the victims presented by community members in the neighborhood had been "manipulated". Through a message on social media, he claimed that some of them had been removed of tactical gear that he stated they possessed "in order to shift blame toward law enforcement". A law enforcement representative of Rio's civil police force also said that military attire, body armor, and weapons" were taken away from the bodies and presented video apparently demonstrating a man cutting camouflage clothing {off a corpse