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The eyewitness

A reporter who observed the results of an extensive law enforcement action in Rio de Janeiro has recounted how residents came back with badly injured victims of the deceased individuals.

The bodies "kept coming: the numbers kept rising", the photographer reported. Among them were those of police officers.

A particular victim was found without a head - additional victims were "severely damaged", he explained. Many also had what appeared to be blade trauma.

In excess of 120 victims lost their lives during the security action targeting an illegal organization - the bloodiest action in the city.

The eyewitness stated that he initially learned concerning the action in the early hours by residents living in Alemão, who sent him messages alerting him an armed confrontation was occurring.

The reporter made his way to the Getúlio Vargas hospital, where the victims were being brought.

The photographer stated that the police prevented journalists from entering the affected area, where the operation was under way.

"Security forces created a barrier and declared: 'Journalists cannot proceed beyond this point'."

Nevertheless, the eyewitness, who grew up in the community, stated he managed to enter into the cordoned-off area, where he remained until dawn.

He reported during the night, local residents began to search the elevated terrain that separates the Penha neighborhood from the nearby Alemão neighbourhood for relatives whose whereabouts were unknown since the police raid.

Community members living in Penha organized the discovered victims in a public space - the documented evidence display the response of the gathered crowd.

"The brutality of it all affected me profoundly: the sorrow of relatives, women collapsing, expectant spouses, crying, angry family members," the photographer recalled.

The photographer

The official of the state stated that the large-scale security action with approximately 2,500 security personnel was intended to stopping a criminal group called Red Command from increasing their control.

Initially, local officials claimed that "60 suspects and four police officers" lost their lives during the action.

Authorities later reported that early calculations suggests that 117 alleged criminals have been killed.

Rio's public defender's office, which provides legal assistance to the poor, has calculated the overall count of people killed at 132.

According to researchers, the gang represents the unique criminal entity which in recent years has managed to expand its territory in the state of Rio de Janeiro.

It is generally regarded as a major illegal faction nationally, together with another major gang, featuring a timeline spanning over five decades.

Per reporter an expert, who has long reported on criminal activity in the city over many years, the criminal organization "works as a system" with area gang leaders affiliating with the group and serving as "business partners".

The criminal group focuses mainly on illegal drug trade, additionally trafficking weapons, gold, fuel, liquor smoking products.

Based on official reports, criminal affiliates have substantial firearms and police said that while the action was underway, they encountered resistance via weaponized unmanned aircraft.

The governor of the state, the political leader, described gang affiliates as drug terrorists and called the four police officers fatally injured in the action as brave public servants.

Nevertheless, the total of people killed in the operation has come in for criticism with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights saying it was "horrified".

In a media appearance the following day, the state leader supported law enforcement.

"There was no objective to kill anyone. We intended to arrest them all alive," he stated.

He added that the situation intensified because the suspects fought back: "It occurred of the counterattack they executed and the overwhelming response from the gang members."

The governor also said that the victims presented by community members in the neighborhood had been "tampered with".

In a post on social media, he claimed that some of them had been stripped of the camouflage clothing that he stated they possessed "to redirect responsibility toward law enforcement".

Felipe Curi from the police department further reported that "camouflage clothing, protective equipment, and arms" had been removed from the bodies and presented video apparently demonstrating a man cutting camouflage clothing {off a corpse