Police officer killed and another left without a foot after exploding booby-trapped rucksack in Oviedo, Spain
A police officer died and another lost a foot after an explosive device hidden in a rucksack detonated in the Villafría neighbourhood of Oviedo.
Deadly explosion in Oviedo: police officer killed, another amputated after detonation of booby-trapped device
Cotidianul.ro reports that a police officer died and another is in a critical condition after amputation of a foot, following the explosion of an explosive device hidden in a rucksack, on Tuesday morning, in the residential neighbourhood of Villafría in Oviedo, the capital of the Asturias region in northern Spain.
The incident began around 7:30 a.m., when authorities received a call regarding a violent conflict between two families in a building in the neighbourhood. A 17-year-old girl had been shot and required medical care. Police officers responded to provide assistance to the victim and to identify the attacker.
At the scene, officers discovered a suspicious rucksack at the entrance to a building. Authorities mobilised specialised teams, including the TEDAX unit for bomb disposal and police officers with dogs trained to detect explosive substances.
According to the BBC, which cites local authorities and the police union JUPOL, Spanish National Police spokesman Pedro Aguado stated that the rucksack was removed from the building to protect residents. The device exploded at the moment it was being handled by the response team.
The blast caused the death of a sub-inspector from the canine unit. A TEDAX specialist in bomb disposal was seriously injured — doctors were forced to amputate a foot. He was transported to the Central University Hospital in Asturias, where he is in a critical condition.
The shot girl was also admitted to hospital. Local authorities specified that her life is not in danger.
The Spanish National Police sent a message of condolences to the family of the deceased officer. The JUPOL union expressed its support for the injured colleague and for those close to him.
Authorities launched a wide-ranging operation to identify the man suspected of shooting the girl and leaving the explosive device in the building. According to information transmitted by Europa Press, the suspect had not been located at the time of the police's statements.
The area was secured, and investigators are attempting to establish the exact circumstances in which the device was placed, who constructed it, and whether the explosion was caused intentionally at the moment of the intervention. Although some publications presented the incident as a possible terrorist attack, Spanish authorities have not, to date, confirmed such a motive.
Source: Cotidianul.ro