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Bruno Itan

An eyewitness who documented the results of a massive law enforcement action in Rio de Janeiro has reported how residents brought back mutilated bodies of those who had died.

The victims "kept piling up: 25, 30, 35, 40, 45...", the photographer reported. They included security forces.

One individual was found without a head - additional victims were "severely damaged", he reported. Many also had evidence of stab wounds.

Over 120 individuals were killed during Tuesday's raid targeting an illegal organization - the bloodiest action the municipality has seen.

The photographer explained that residents first notified him about the operation Tuesday morning by community members living in Alemão, who sent him messages alerting him gunfire had erupted.

The eyewitness traveled to a local medical facility, where the bodies were arriving.

Itan explained that security forces prevented journalists from going into the Penha neighborhood, where the security measures was under way.

"Police officers formed a line and said: 'Journalists cannot proceed beyond this point'."

But Itan, who grew up in the area, explained he managed to make his way into the restricted zone, where he remained until the next morning.

He explained that evening, local residents started looking the elevated terrain that borders the community of Penha and the adjacent Alemão area for loved ones who had been missing following the security action.

Residents of the Penha neighbourhood proceeded to place the discovered victims in an open area - the photographer's images show the reaction of the gathered crowd.

"The violence of it all affected me deeply: the grief of the families, parents losing consciousness, expectant spouses, sobbing, furious relatives," the photographer recalled.

The eyewitness

The official of the state declared that the massive police operation involving around 2,500 law enforcement members was intended to stopping an illegal organization known as Red Command from increasing their control.

At first, the Rio state government claimed that "60 suspects and four police officers" had been killed during the action.

They have since said that their "preliminary" count indicates that 117 "suspects" have been killed.

The public legal service, that gives legal support to disadvantaged individuals, has calculated the final tally of casualties at 132.

Per investigative findings, the criminal organization is the only criminal group which in recent years has been able to increase its control across the region.

It is generally regarded one of the two largest gangs nationally, together with another major gang, with a background dating back more than 50 years.

Per correspondent a specialist, who has been covering illegal operations in Rio extensively, Red Command "operates like a franchise" with neighborhood bosses affiliating with the group and serving as "business partners".

The organization engages primarily in illegal drug trade, but also smuggles weapons, valuable minerals, energy resources, liquor smoking products.

Based on official reports, gang members possess significant weaponry and officials reported that while the action was underway, they came under attack via weaponized unmanned aircraft.

The governor of the state, the political leader, described gang affiliates as drug terrorists and called the security forces fatally injured in the action as "heroes".

But the number of people killed in the security action has faced scrutiny with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights stating they were "shocked".

In a media appearance the next day, the state leader justified security actions.

"There was no objective to result in deaths. We intended to take suspects into custody without harm," he said.

He added that the situation worsened because the suspects fought back: "It resulted of the retaliation they implemented and the excessive violence from the gang members."

The state leader also said that the bodies shown by residents in the neighborhood were "altered".

In a post on social media, he asserted that particular individuals had been taken of military-style attire which he claimed they wore "to redirect responsibility toward law enforcement".

A law enforcement representative from the police department also said that military attire, protective equipment, and arms" had been removed from the victims and showed footage appearing to show a person stripping military attire {off a corpse