🔗 Share this article

Bruno Itan

A reporter who documented the aftermath of a large-scale Brazilian police operation in the Brazilian city has recounted how local people came back with mutilated bodies of the deceased individuals.

The victims "kept coming: 25, 30, 35, 40, 45...", Bruno Itan described. They included law enforcement personnel.

One of the bodies was found without a head - while others appeared "completely mutilated", he reported. Many also had what he described as blade trauma.

More than 120 people lost their lives in the Tuesday operation against a criminal group - the deadliest such raid Rio has experienced.

The photographer stated that he was first alerted to the raid early on Tuesday by community members of the Alemão neighbourhood, who reached out informing him an armed confrontation was occurring.

The reporter went to the Getúlio Vargas hospital, where the victims were arriving.

Itan explained that the police prevented journalists from accessing the operation zone, where the operation were taking place.

"Security forces established a perimeter and declared: 'Journalists doesn't get past here'."

Nevertheless, the eyewitness, who spent his childhood in the area, stated he managed to enter into the cordoned-off area, where he continued until the next morning.

He reported that Tuesday night, community members started looking the hillside that separates the community of Penha and the neighboring Alemão community for loved ones who were unaccounted for following the security action.

Residents of the Penha neighbourhood organized the recovered bodies in an open area - the documented evidence show the emotions of those present.

"The violence of the situation shook me deeply: the grief of loved ones, mothers fainting, pregnant wives, crying, angry family members," the reporter recounted.

The eyewitness

The governor of the region stated that the massive police operation involving around 2,500 officers was designed to stopping a criminal group known as Comando Vermelho from growing their influence.

Originally, local officials claimed that "60 suspects and four police officers" were fatally injured during the action.

They have since said that initial estimates suggests that 117 "suspects" have been killed.

The public legal service, which provides legal assistance to disadvantaged individuals, has estimated the total number of fatalities to be 132.

Per investigative findings, Red Command stands as the sole illegal faction which in recent years has succeeded to increase its control across the region.

It is generally regarded among the biggest criminal organizations nationally, in company with a rival criminal group, with a background dating back more than 50 years.

According to Brazilian journalist Rafael Soares, with extensive experience documenting illegal operations in Rio over many years, Red Command "operates like a franchise" with neighborhood bosses joining the organization and acting as "business partners".

The criminal group engages primarily in illegal drug trade, but also smuggles weapons, valuable minerals, energy resources, beverages cigarettes.

Based on official reports, organization members possess significant weaponry and authorities stated that during the raid, they faced assaults from explosive-laden drones.

The governor of the state, the government representative, labeled gang affiliates as drug terrorists and called the law enforcement personnel who died during the operation as "heroes".

Nevertheless, the total of fatalities in the operation has faced scrutiny from international human rights authorities stating they were "horrified".

At a news conference the next day, Governor Castro justified security actions.

"We did not plan to cause fatalities. We aimed to arrest them all alive," he declared.

He continued that the circumstances had escalated due to the alleged criminals fought back: "It was a consequence of the counterattack they carried out and the overwhelming response from the gang members."

The official additionally stated that the victims presented by community members in the area had been "manipulated".

Via a statement through digital channels, he said that some of them had been taken of military-style attire he said they had been wearing "in order to shift blame to security forces".

Felipe Curi from the police department further reported that military attire, vests, and arms" had been removed from the casualties and showed footage seemingly depicting a person cutting camouflage clothing {off a corpse