Deadliest Police Operation in Rio Claims Over 100 Lives
In a sweeping state-police operation on October 28, 2025, in the Complexo do Alemão and Complexo da Penha favelas of Rio de Janeiro, at least 119 people were killed, marking the deadliest police action in the city’s history. The raid targeted the criminal group Comando Vermelho amid reports of heavy gun-battles and armed resistance. State authorities reported that four police officers were among the dead.
Bodies Lined Streets Amid Shock
Residents in the Penha neighbourhood witnessed horrifying scenes the following day, as dozens of bodies—over 40 by some counts—were placed in lines along a main street for identification. Some families identified loved ones whose bodies were covered with sheets or bags. The number of confirmed deaths is still being revised by independent legal agencies, with figures of up to 132 cited.
Concerns Over Force and Rights
Human-rights organisations and international observers condemned the operation’s high death toll and lack of transparency. They called for an immediate, independent investigation into the tactics used and whether civilians were among those killed. The authorities defended the raid as a coordinated attack on a major drug trafficking network and described the casualties as predominantly armed criminals.
