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The photographer

A reporter who documented the results of a large-scale security raid in Rio de Janeiro has reported how local people returned with mutilated bodies of the deceased individuals.

The bodies "kept piling up: 25, 30, 35, 40, 45...", the eyewitness described. They included those of police officers.

One individual had been decapitated - while others appeared "completely mutilated", he explained. Many also had what appeared to be knife injuries.

In excess of 120 victims lost their lives during the security action against a criminal group - the most lethal operation in the city.

The photographer explained that he initially learned about the operation Tuesday morning by community members living in Alemão, who contacted him informing him gunfire had erupted.

The photographer traveled to the healthcare center, where the casualties were coming in.

The eyewitness reported that security forces blocked media personnel from going into the affected area, where the police action was under way.

"Law enforcement personnel established a perimeter and announced: 'The press are not allowed to pass'."

However, the photographer, who was raised in the area, explained he was able to enter into the restricted zone, where he stayed until the next morning.

He explained that Tuesday night, community members started looking the hillside that borders the community of Penha and the nearby Alemão neighbourhood for family members who had been missing following the security action.

Local people of the Penha neighbourhood organized the discovered victims in a public space - the documented evidence display the emotions of the people there.

"The violence of the situation impacted me a lot: the pain of relatives, parents losing consciousness, expectant spouses, sobbing, outraged parents," the reporter recounted.

The eyewitness

The state leader of the region declared that the large-scale security action deploying about 2,500 officers was designed to stopping a gang known as Comando Vermelho from increasing their control.

Initially, local officials maintained that "60 suspects plus four law enforcement personnel" had been killed in the operation.

They have since said that initial estimates shows that 117 individuals lost their lives.

The legal assistance organization, that gives legal support to the poor, has calculated the total number of casualties to be 132.

Per investigative findings, Red Command represents the unique criminal entity that in the past few years has managed to expand its territory across the region.

It is generally regarded one of the two largest gangs in Brazil, in company with another major gang, featuring a timeline spanning over five decades.

Based on correspondent Rafael Soares, with extensive experience documenting crime in Rio over many years, the gang "functions as a network" with neighborhood bosses affiliating with the group and serving as "business partners".

The gang focuses mainly on drug trafficking, while also dealing in guns, precious metals, petroleum products, beverages cigarettes.

Per law enforcement statements, criminal affiliates possess significant weaponry and police said that during the raid, they encountered resistance via weaponized unmanned aircraft.

The governor of the state, Cláudio Castro, characterized Red Command members as criminal extremists and called the law enforcement personnel who died during the operation as "heroes".

However, the count of people killed during the raid has received condemnation from international human rights authorities stating they were "appalled".

During a press briefing on Wednesday, the official supported law enforcement.

"There was no objective to cause fatalities. We intended to arrest them all alive," he declared.

He added that the situation worsened as the individuals had retaliated: "It resulted of the counterattack they carried out and the overwhelming response from the gang members."

The state leader further reported that the victims displayed by locals in the neighborhood were "altered".

Via a statement on social media, he claimed that certain victims had been taken of the camouflage clothing which he claimed they wore "to transfer accusation onto the police".

A law enforcement representative representing security forces additionally stated that "camouflage clothing, vests, and firearms" were stripped from the bodies and showed footage apparently demonstrating an individual removing tactical gear {off a corpse