đź”— Share this article The victims kept arriving - photographer recounts deadly Rio police raid The photographer Dozens of bodies were displayed in a square in northern Rio after the most lethal operation the municipality has experienced An eyewitness who observed the results of a large-scale security raid in the metropolitan area has described how local people came back with mutilated bodies of those who had died. The casualties "kept coming: the numbers kept rising", the photographer reported. They included law enforcement personnel. A particular victim had been decapitated - additional victims were "totally disfigured", he said. Many also had what he described as stab wounds. More than 120 people lost their lives during Tuesday's raid targeting an illegal organization - the bloodiest action Rio has experienced. Over 100 individuals were taken into custody in connection with the security raid The photographer reported that residents first notified him concerning the action early on Tuesday by residents from the AlemĂŁo area, who contacted him informing him gunfire had erupted. The eyewitness went to a local medical facility, where the casualties were arriving. Itan explained that the police prevented journalists from accessing the operation zone, where the security measures were taking place. "Law enforcement personnel created a barrier and said: 'The press are not allowed to pass'." Nevertheless, the eyewitness, who grew up in the community, stated he managed to gain access past the security perimeter, where he stayed through the night. He reported that evening, local residents began to search the elevated terrain which divides the Penha neighborhood from the adjacent AlemĂŁo area for loved ones who had been missing since the police raid. Community members of the Penha neighbourhood organized the recovered bodies in a public space - and Itan's photos display the response of the people there. "The violence of the situation impacted me profoundly: the pain of loved ones, women collapsing, pregnant wives, sobbing, furious relatives," the reporter recounted. Bruno Itan There was trauma in the community as community members recovered increasing numbers of casualties from the nearby hillside The state leader of the state stated that the massive police operation with approximately 2,500 officers was aimed at preventing an illegal organization called Comando Vermelho from growing their influence. Originally, local officials maintained that sixty individuals and four police officers" had been killed in the operation. They have since said that early calculations shows that 117 "suspects" were fatally injured. Rio's public defender's office, that gives legal support to the poor, has calculated the final tally of fatalities to be 132. According to researchers, the criminal organization represents the unique criminal entity which in recent years has succeeded to increase its control throughout Rio state. It is generally regarded one of the two largest gangs in Brazil, together with a rival criminal group, and has a history extending half a century. Based on reporter a specialist, with extensive experience documenting illegal operations in Rio over many years, the gang "functions as a network" with local criminal leaders forming part of the gang and acting as "operational allies". The criminal group concentrates largely on illegal drug trade, additionally trafficking firearms, precious metals, fuel, alcohol cigarettes. Based on official reports, organization members possess significant weaponry and authorities stated that throughout the operation, they faced assaults using drone-delivered explosives. The official of the state, the political leader, described organization participants as criminal extremists and called the law enforcement personnel who died during the operation as courageous individuals. Nevertheless, the total of casualties during the raid has received condemnation with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights expressing they felt "shocked". In a media appearance the following day, Governor Castro supported law enforcement. "It wasn't our intention to cause fatalities. We aimed to detain everyone safely," he said. He further explained that the events intensified as the individuals fought back: "It was a consequence of the retaliation they carried out and the excessive violence by those criminals." The state leader additionally stated that the casualties displayed by locals in the area were "altered". Through a message through digital channels, he asserted that particular individuals had been stripped of military-style attire which he claimed they wore "in order to shift blame toward law enforcement". Felipe Curi of Rio's civil police force also said that "camouflage clothing, vests, and firearms" were taken away from the casualties and presented video appearing to show an individual stripping military attire {off a corpse