Inside Rio’s Deadliest Police Raid: A Photographer’s Harrowing Account

A photographer who witnessed the aftermath of a massive Brazilian police operation in Rio de Janeiro has spoken of the harrowing experience, describing how residents returned with mutilated bodies of those who had died.

Bruno Itan, who was present during the operation in the Alemão neighborhood, told BBC Brasil that the sheer number of casualties was overwhelming. “The bodies just kept coming: 25, 30, 35, 40, 45…”, he recounted, noting that police officers were among the deceased.

Itan described scenes of immense brutality, with some bodies decapitated and others “totally disfigured.” Many also bore what he identified as stab wounds. The raid, which targeted a criminal gang, resulted in over 120 fatalities, making it the deadliest police operation of its kind in the city’s history.

Access to the Penha neighborhood, where the operation was centered, was reportedly restricted for the press. However, Itan, who grew up in the area, managed to gain access and stayed until the following morning. He described the emotional toll of witnessing the families’ grief, with mothers fainting and wives crying in anguish.

The governor of Rio state defended the operation, stating it was aimed at dismantling the Comando Vermelho (Red Command) criminal group. While initial reports indicated around 60 deaths, the official count has since risen to 117 “suspects,” with some estimates from public defenders placing the total at 132.

The governor also alleged that bodies were “manipulated” by locals, with camouflage clothing and weapons allegedly removed to shift blame onto the police. Footage was reportedly shown of a man removing clothing from a corpse.

The scale of the violence has drawn international criticism, with the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights expressing alarm. Brazil’s Supreme Court has summoned the state governor to provide a detailed explanation of the police actions.