A large police raid in Rio de Janeiro on Tuesday left well over one hundred people dead in the Penha and Alemão areas, according to officials and witnesses. Authorities said the operation targeted the Red Command to stop its territorial gains, and reported first that 60 suspects and four officers died, later revising the suspect toll to 117. The state public defender’s office put the total at 132. The United Nations human rights office condemned the death toll, and a Supreme Court justice ordered the governor to explain the actions at a hearing on Monday.
A local photographer said residents recovered bodies through the night and brought them to a square, describing victims with severe injuries and some disfigurement. He said he had reached a nearby hospital where bodies arrived after press access to Penha was blocked. State officials said gang members were heavily armed and used drones fitted with munitions. The governor praised the officers and said police aimed to make arrests, later alleging that some bodies were altered to cast blame on security forces. Police released a video that they said showed clothing removed from corpses.
A local photographer said residents recovered bodies through the night and brought them to a square, describing victims with severe injuries and some disfigurement. He said he had reached a nearby hospital where bodies arrived after press access to Penha was blocked. State officials said gang members were heavily armed and used drones fitted with munitions. The governor praised the officers and said police aimed to make arrests, later alleging that some bodies were altered to cast blame on security forces. Police released a video that they said showed clothing removed from corpses.
