Sixty-four people, including four police officers, are reportedly dead following the largest gang raid in Rio de Janeiro’s history spiraled into a “street battle,” according to The Timesand the BBC.
Raid Involved Over 2,500 Police Officers
On Tuesday, more than 2,500 police officers in the Penha district, a northern suburb of the Brazilian city, targeted the so-called “Red Command gang” in order to serve warrants to the most senior members of the drug trafficking operation. After officers entered two of the gang’s communities, Red Command members began retaliating with gunfire and grenades. The gang members proceeded to torch barricades intended to corral them into the neighborhood, with police eventually having to enlist two helicopters, 22 armored vehicles, 12 demolition vehicles, and several drones to combat the onslaught.
‘No Longer a Common Crime’
“This is how Rio de Janeiro police are greeted by criminals: with bombs dropped by drones. This is the size of the challenge we are facing. It is no longer a common crime, it is drug-terrorism,” state Governor Cláudio Castro, wrote on Facebook. Castro explained that the task force intended to serve 51 warrants, most of which pertained to those accused of drug dealing but three of which carried torture charges. He claimed that the gang members who were killed resisted arrest. Four police officers were also killed.
U.N. Human Rights Office Condemned Raid
“Our sincere condolences to the families and friends of the civil police officers Marcos Vinícius Cardoso de Carvalho, 51; Rodrigo Velloso Cabral, 34; and the military police officers Heber Carvalho da Fonseca, 39; and Cleiton Serafim Gonçalves, 42, who were killed in defense of society during Operation Contenção, in the capital of the state of Rio de Janeiro, on October 28, Public Servant’s Day,” the Civil Police of Rio de Janeiro State wrote in a press release.
In a statement, the United Nations Human Rights Office said it was “horrified” by the operation’s death toll. “This deadly operation furthers the trend of extreme lethal consequences of police operations in Brazil’s marginalized communities. We remind authorities of their obligations under international human rights law and urge prompt and effective investigations.”
