Two killed and four seriously wounded in shooting in El Ejido, Almería
The suspected gunman turned himself in after the attack, which resulted in the deaths of his parents. One of two injured minors is the seven-month-old son of the alleged perpetrator
Two killed and four wounded in El Ejido shooting
A 25-year-old man killed his parents and seriously wounded four people, including two minors, in a shooting recorded on Monday night in El Canalillo, on the outskirts of El Ejido (Almería), according to El País. The incident occurred just after 23:00 hours on Calle Mar Adriático in that peripheral area surrounded by greenhouses.
The suspect, of Spanish nationality, fired first at his parents—identified as Fina and Francisco—while they were inside a vehicle. Both died at the scene. He then shot his own son, a seven-month-old baby who was with his current partner.
Upon hearing the shots, a 19-year-old neighbour came out onto the street carrying her 20-month-old daughter. The gunman fired three times at her; the girl also received two bullet wounds. During his flight, the man shot a neighbour in his sixties of Moroccan nationality in the head after encountering him on the road.
Injured in intensive care
Medical services confirmed the deaths of the two people found inside the car and transferred the four wounded to different hospitals. The two minors—the seven-month-old baby and the 20-month-old girl—were admitted to the Paediatrics ICU at the Princesa Leonor Maternal and Infant Hospital in Almería. The 60-year-old man underwent emergency surgery and remains in the ICU at Torrecárdenas Hospital with serious injuries. The 19-year-old woman was admitted to Poniente Hospital, also in serious condition.
Arrested in the early hours with 16 previous convictions
After the shots, the suspect fled the area. The Guardia Civil immediately activated a search operation with support from the National Police and Local Police. Around four in the morning, the fugitive returned to El Canalillo and was arrested.
The arrested man has accumulated 16 previous arrests for drug trafficking and illegal possession of a bladed weapon, according to sources from the investigation. Agents are also working to determine the source of the pistol used, given that the detainee lacks a firearms licence. The Guardia Civil points to domestic violence as the main hypothesis and rules out other motivations. The force also notes that the perpetrator could present "a mental disorder", according to an official statement. The investigation is being conducted by the Organic Unit of Judicial Police of the Almería Command.
The neighbourhood in silence
Early on Tuesday, stickers with arrows marked the bullet impact marks on the door of the house. Several Guardia Civil officers were guarding the surroundings of an area that residents describe as labyrinthine, with around a hundred residents spread between greenhouses and modest houses.
Antonio, who lives two houses further up, recounted that he and his wife heard noises but thought they were firecrackers. "I watched a film, turned off the TV and went to bed," he said. Regarding the victims, several neighbours agreed: "There is everything here, but they were very good people." Residents of the nearby town of Balanegra added that "people are moving to the town because you cannot live there anymore."
Official mourning and calls for increased security
The El Ejido Town Council declared a day of official mourning and called for a minute's silence in Plaza Mayor for Wednesday. The mayor, Francisco Góngora, described the events as "extremely serious" and expressed his confidence in the recovery of the wounded. Góngora requested that the Interior Ministry and the Government Delegation reinforce police presence in areas affected by drug trafficking, burglary and the proliferation of illegal weapons. "I am aware that the National Police and Guardia Civil work in these areas," said the mayor, who considers them to be a breeding ground for this kind of incident.
Source: El País