Police search for armed suspect after deadly explosion in Oviedo
A police superintendent dies and another officer loses a leg in the detonation of a backpack in Oviedo. Authorities are searching for the alleged perpetrator, a 65-year-old man with a criminal record who may be armed.
Search following the Oviedo explosion
The National Police has deployed a large-scale operation to locate the alleged perpetrator of a shooting followed by the explosion of a backpack in the Villafría neighbourhood of Oviedo. The incident has left a superintendent dead and a bomb disposal officer seriously wounded with leg amputation.
According to Libertad Digital, the suspect is a man of approximately 65 years old, bald and wearing glasses, with multiple prior convictions for common crimes. Police sources consulted rule out a terrorist motive given his criminal history. His partner has been detained, though without official confirmation of her involvement.
The events of the morning
The events began at approximately 7.30 hours on Tuesday when a 17-year-old girl was injured by gunfire in what is described as a neighbourhood dispute. Her injuries are not serious. National Police officers responded to an alert call and located a suspicious backpack on the landing of a residence with "a flashing light inside".
Bomb disposal specialists (Tedax) and the Special Canine Unit were deployed. Officers decided to move the object outside to protect neighbours. The explosion occurred around 8.40 hours whilst they were handling the backpack in Rafael Urrusti street.
Victims and ongoing search
The superintendent who died, identified as Juan José, belonged to the Canine Unit. The injured bomb disposal specialist was transferred to the Central University Hospital of Asturias (HUCA). The National Police has established checkpoints at various access points to the Asturian capital, including restrictions on the A-66 at the height of Villamiana and road closures on the N-634 towards Colloto, with participation from the Traffic Civil Guard.
Warning over armed risk
Laura García, spokesperson for the police union Jupol, stated in the Cuatro programme En boca de todos that the suspect could be "entrenched and armed with firearms", including a pistol and a shotgun. "It cannot be ruled out that he has additional explosive devices", García noted, urging maximum caution during the search.
The search operation remains open without official confirmation of the arrest of the alleged perpetrator. The National Police has expressed its condolences to the relatives and colleagues of the deceased officer, whilst the Jupol union has expressed "deep sorrow and dismay" at what has occurred.
Pedro Aguado, head of Protocol and Communications for the National Police in Asturias, explained that officers acted in accordance with protocol by moving the suspicious backpack to minimise risks to the civilian population. Investigations continue to clarify the exact circumstances of the initial shooting and the subsequent detonation.
Source: Libertad Digital