Bruno Itan
A reporter who witnessed the consequences of a massive law enforcement action in Rio de Janeiro has described how residents brought back disfigured remains of people who lost their lives.
The victims "kept piling up: the count kept increasing", Bruno Itan reported. The total contained law enforcement personnel.
One of the bodies had been decapitated - while others appeared "completely mutilated", he explained. Many also had what he described as stab wounds.
In excess of 120 victims were killed during Tuesday's raid on a criminal gang - the bloodiest action in the city.
Bruno Itan stated that he initially learned about the operation in the early hours by local people living in Alemão, who sent him messages informing him gunfire had erupted.
The photographer made his way to the Getúlio Vargas hospital, where the victims were arriving.
Itan explained that security forces stopped members of the press from accessing the operation zone, where the police action were taking place.
"Police officers created a barrier and announced: 'The press are not allowed to pass'."
However, the photographer, who grew up in that neighborhood, stated he managed to make his way past the security perimeter, where he continued until dawn.
He described that Tuesday night, community members commenced searching the mountainous area that borders the community of Penha and the nearby Alemão neighbourhood for family members who were unaccounted for following the security action.
Local people from the Penha area arranged the recovered bodies in a public space - and Itan's photos reveal the emotions of those present.
"The harsh reality of it all affected me profoundly: the grief of relatives, parents losing consciousness, pregnant wives, crying, outraged parents," the eyewitness remembered.
The eyewitness
The official of the region announced that the massive police operation with approximately 2,500 officers was designed to stopping an illegal organization referred to as Comando Vermelho from growing their influence.
Originally, the Rio state government maintained that sixty alleged criminals plus four law enforcement personnel" were fatally injured in the raid.
Authorities later reported that their "preliminary" count shows that 117 "suspects" were fatally injured.
The legal assistance organization, that offers legal help to low-income residents, has estimated the total number of fatalities as 132.
Per investigative findings, the gang represents the unique criminal entity which in recent years has been able to make territorial gains throughout Rio state.
It is generally regarded among the biggest criminal organizations in Brazil, in company with another major gang, featuring a timeline extending half a century.
Based on Brazilian journalist a specialist, with extensive experience documenting crime in Rio for years, the criminal organization "functions as a network" with local criminal leaders forming part of the gang and acting as "commercial associates".
The criminal group focuses mainly on illegal drug trade, while also dealing in guns, valuable minerals, energy resources, beverages cigarettes.
Per law enforcement statements, criminal affiliates have substantial firearms and officials reported that while the action was underway, they faced assaults using drone-delivered explosives.
The official of Rio state, the political leader, described gang affiliates as criminal extremists and called the security forces fatally injured in the action as courageous individuals.
But the number of casualties during the raid has come in for criticism from international human rights authorities stating they were "appalled".
In a media appearance the following day, the official justified security actions.
"There was no objective to cause fatalities. We wanted to take suspects into custody without harm," he stated.
He continued that the events had escalated as the individuals had retaliated: "It was a consequence of the retaliation they carried out and the overwhelming response by the illegal group."
The governor additionally stated that the victims displayed by locals in the neighborhood were "altered".
Through a message on social media, he asserted that some of them had been stripped of military-style attire which he claimed they wore "to transfer accusation toward law enforcement".
Felipe Curi representing security forces also said that tactical gear, vests, and weapons" were stripped from the victims and showed footage apparently demonstrating a man cutting camouflage clothing {off a corpse
