More than 120 people, including police officers, were killed during a police operation in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, described as the deadliest in the city's history. Photographer Bruno Itan, who witnessed the aftermath, reported seeing residents retrieving numerous bodies from a hillside after the raid in the Penha neighborhood. Over 100 individuals were arrested during the operation.
Photographer's Account
Photographer Bruno Itan, reporting to BBC Brasil, stated he was alerted to the raid early on Tuesday by messages from residents of the Alemão neighborhood describing a shoot-out. He proceeded to Getúlio Vargas hospital, where deceased individuals were being brought.
Itan reported that police prevented members of the press from entering the Penha neighborhood, where the operation was underway. He quoted police officers stating, "The press doesn't get past here." Itan, who indicated he grew up in the area, stated he gained access to the cordoned-off zone and remained there until the following morning.
On Tuesday night, Itan observed residents searching the hillside between Penha and the nearby Alemão neighborhood for relatives missing since the raid. Residents of Penha subsequently placed the recovered bodies in a square. Itan stated observing bodies with severe injuries, including one that had been decapitated, others "totally disfigured," and many with apparent stab wounds. He described observing reactions of grief among the families present.
Official Statements and Death Toll
The governor of Rio state stated that the operation, involving approximately 2,500 security personnel, aimed to prevent the criminal group known as Comando Vermelho (Red Command) from expanding its territory.
The Rio state government initially reported 60 "suspects" and four police officers killed. A subsequent "preliminary" count by the government revised the number to 117 "suspects" killed. Rio's public defender's office reported a total of 132 fatalities.
Governor Cláudio Castro of Rio state referred to Red Command members as "narcoterrorists" and characterized the four police officers killed as "heroes." The death toll from the operation drew criticism, with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights stating it was "horrified."
During a news conference on Wednesday, Governor Castro defended the police action, stating, "It wasn't our intention to kill anyone. We wanted to arrest them all alive." He attributed the escalation to the suspects' retaliation, adding, "It was a consequence of the retaliation they carried out and the disproportionate use of force by those criminals."
Information on Comando Vermelho
Researchers indicate that Red Command is the only criminal group to have made territorial gains in Rio de Janeiro state in recent years. It is identified as one of the two largest gangs in Brazil, alongside First Capital Command (PCC), with a history spanning over 50 years.
Brazilian journalist Rafael Soares described Red Command as operating "like a franchise," where local criminal leaders affiliate with the gang as "business partners." The group is primarily involved in drug trafficking, in addition to smuggling guns, gold, fuel, alcohol, and tobacco. Authorities reported that gang members were heavily armed and stated that during the raid, they encountered attacks from explosive-laden drones.