The bodies just kept coming - photographer recounts lethal Rio police raid

The photographer

A photographer who witnessed the consequences of an extensive law enforcement action in Rio de Janeiro has recounted how residents returned with badly injured victims of those who had died.

The bodies "continued arriving: 25, 30, 35, 40, 45...", the photographer reported. Among them were law enforcement personnel.

One of the bodies had been decapitated - additional victims were "completely mutilated", he reported. Many also had what appeared to be blade trauma.

In excess of 120 victims were killed during the security action on a criminal gang - the deadliest such raid in the city.

The photographer reported that he was first alerted concerning the action in the early hours by community members from the Alemão area, who reached out informing him gunfire had erupted.

The photographer made his way to a local medical facility, where the casualties were arriving.

The photographer stated that law enforcement blocked media personnel from entering the Penha neighborhood, where the operation were taking place.

"Security forces established a perimeter and said: 'Journalists cannot proceed beyond this point'."

However, the photographer, who was raised in that neighborhood, reported he was able to gain access past the security perimeter, where he continued until dawn.

He reported that Tuesday night, area inhabitants started looking the elevated terrain which divides the community of Penha and the nearby Alemão neighbourhood for family members whose whereabouts were unknown since the police raid.

Local people living in Penha proceeded to place the discovered victims in a square - the photographer's images show the emotions of those present.

"The violence of the situation impacted me deeply: the sorrow of the families, mothers fainting, expectant spouses, crying, furious relatives," the eyewitness remembered.

The eyewitness

The governor of the region announced that the large-scale security action deploying about 2,500 law enforcement members was designed to preventing an illegal organization known as Comando Vermelho from expanding its territory.

At first, local officials maintained that "60 suspects along with four officers" lost their lives during the action.

Authorities later reported that initial estimates indicates that 117 "suspects" were fatally injured.

The legal assistance organization, that offers legal help to the poor, has put the total number of people killed as 132.

Per investigative findings, the criminal organization represents the unique criminal entity that in the past few years has succeeded to expand its territory throughout Rio state.

Experts commonly view among the biggest criminal organizations nationally, together with First Capital Command, with a background dating back more than 50 years.

Based on Brazilian journalist a specialist, who has long reported on illegal operations in Rio for years, Red Command "functions as a network" with neighborhood bosses forming part of the gang and serving as "business partners".

The criminal group focuses mainly on drug trafficking, but also smuggles weapons, gold, fuel, beverages smoking products.

According to the authorities, organization members have substantial firearms and police said that while the action was underway, they faced assaults from explosive-laden drones.

The official of the state, the political leader, labeled gang affiliates as "narcoterrorists" and called the security forces who died during the operation as "heroes".

But the number of casualties in the operation has faced scrutiny from UN human rights officials expressing they felt "appalled".

During a press briefing the following day, the state leader defended the police force.

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

He further explained that the circumstances intensified due to the alleged criminals fought back: "It was a consequence of the resistance they executed and the excessive violence by those criminals."

The governor also said that the casualties presented by community members in Penha were "altered".

In a post on online platforms, he asserted that certain victims had been removed of the camouflage clothing which he claimed they wore "to transfer accusation toward law enforcement".

A law enforcement representative from the police department additionally stated that tactical gear, vests, and weapons" were taken away from the bodies and displayed evidence apparently demonstrating a person removing tactical gear {off a corpse