🔗 Share this article The casualties continued piling up - eyewitness describes lethal Rio security action The photographer Dozens of bodies were arranged in a square in Penha after the most lethal operation in the city's history A reporter who documented the aftermath of an extensive Brazilian police operation in the metropolitan area has described how community members brought back badly injured victims of those who had died. The casualties "kept coming: the count kept increasing", the photographer reported. They included those of police officers. One of the bodies was found without a head - others were "completely mutilated", he explained. Many also had what he described as blade trauma. More than 120 people were fatally injured during Tuesday's raid against a criminal group - the bloodiest action the municipality has seen. In excess of 100 suspects were detained in connection with the operation Bruno Itan reported that he initially learned concerning the action Tuesday morning by community members living in Alemão, who reached out telling him gunfire had erupted. The reporter went to a local medical facility, where the bodies were being brought. Itan explained that the police blocked media personnel from accessing the affected area, where the police action were occurring. "Police officers formed a line and said: 'Media representatives are not allowed to pass'." Nevertheless, the eyewitness, who grew up in the area, reported he succeeded to gain access into the cordoned-off area, where he stayed until the next morning. He explained during the night, community members commenced searching the elevated terrain that borders Penha from the adjacent Alemão area for loved ones whose whereabouts were unknown after the operation. Community members from the Penha area organized the discovered victims in a public space - the documented evidence show the reaction of those present. "The harsh reality of what occurred affected me deeply: the sorrow of loved ones, parents losing consciousness, expectant spouses, sobbing, angry family members," the eyewitness remembered. The photographer There was disbelief in Penha as locals retrieved more and more bodies from the nearby hillside The state leader of the region announced that the massive police operation with approximately 2,500 security personnel was aimed at halting an illegal organization known as the criminal faction from increasing their control. Originally, the Rio state government stated that "60 suspects along with four officers" had been killed in the operation. Authorities later reported that initial estimates suggests that 117 individuals lost their lives. The public legal service, which provides legal assistance to the poor, has calculated the final tally of fatalities to be 132. Per investigative findings, the criminal organization represents the unique criminal entity which in recent years has succeeded to increase its control throughout Rio state. Experts commonly view as a major illegal faction in Brazil, together with another major gang, featuring a timeline dating back more than 50 years. Based on correspondent Rafael Soares, who has long reported on crime in Rio extensively, the criminal organization "functions as a network" with local criminal leaders forming part of the gang and acting as "commercial associates". The criminal group engages primarily in drug trafficking, but also smuggles guns, gold, energy resources, alcohol smoking products. Based on official reports, organization members are well armed and authorities stated that during the raid, they faced assaults from explosive-laden drones. The state leader of Rio state, Cláudio Castro, described Red Command members as drug terrorists and called the law enforcement personnel killed in the raid as "heroes". Nevertheless, the total of casualties in the security action has come in for criticism from UN human rights officials saying it was "appalled". During a press briefing the following day, Governor Castro justified security actions. "There was no objective to result in deaths. We wanted to take suspects into custody without harm," he stated. He further explained that the events worsened due to the alleged criminals had retaliated: "It was a consequence of the counterattack they executed and the disproportionate use of force by the illegal group." The official additionally stated that the bodies presented by community members in the neighborhood were "altered". Through a message on social media, he asserted that certain victims had been taken of the camouflage clothing that he stated they possessed "in order to shift blame to security forces". A law enforcement representative from the police department further reported that military attire, vests, and arms" were stripped from the bodies and presented video apparently demonstrating a person removing tactical gear {off a corpse