The lead investigator from the Mossos d'Esquadra has detailed at the Audiencia de Tarragona that the assault on the Tortosa bingo hall, which occurred on September 19, 2022, was planned in advance. The three perpetrators executed the robbery in just over two minutes before leaving the premises. The group was already under police surveillance for other robberies at gaming halls in Navarra.

During the first day of the jury trial, the customer who was shot testified. On Wednesday, officers from the Mossos d'Esquadra and the National Police provided details about the findings at the scene and the progress of the investigation linking the accused to the crime.

According to the prosecution's account, three masked and armed individuals stormed the Vali Park bingo hall, located in Plaça Corona d’Aragó, Tortosa, shortly after midnight on September 19. They struggled with a customer who refused to hand over his mobile phone, and one of the assailants shot him in the chest. Subsequently, they demanded money from the manager. As they were heading towards the exit with the employee, who had activated the alarm, the same assailant shot the woman in the back of the neck.

The investigator described the action as an execution. The victim died at the scene. The hypothesis is that the victim might have recognized the woman from the group or that they realized she had activated the alarm, though these points remain uncorroborated by audio evidence.

The sergeant from the Mossos' Territorial Unit for Criminal Investigation of Terres de l’Ebre revealed that the assault lasted just over two minutes, according to security camera footage. The planning for the heist began at least a month prior, involving prior visits to the premises to assess security measures.

In the dock are Mohamed Essalih, to whom the shots are attributed, and Amina Azzi. A minor, already tried and convicted in 2023, was part of the group. Abdelkader Saled, a resident of Tortosa, allegedly acted as a lookout from a nearby building, signaling the opportune moment for the assault.

Plainclothes officers who arrived shortly after found the door open, the employee severely injured, and the customer shouting that he had been shot. The injured customer indicated that the group consisted of two men and a woman.

The investigation confirmed that the group, comprising two men and a woman, was under surveillance for similar cases in Navarra. They discovered the use of a vehicle equipped with a tracking beacon, having traveled from Tudela the night before the incident.

In Tortosa, a city known to the accused, they allegedly exchanged phones to hinder tracking efforts. The beacon located the car near the bingo hall and later at Parc Teodoro González.

Essalid and Azzi had previously visited the Vali Park bingo hall on September 10, 11, and 12, as well as a few hours before the assault, according to surveillance footage. These movements indicated the preparation of the heist.

Clothing items used in previous visits were found in the car that was later located, but not those used during the assault. A fast-food receipt allowed investigators to see them together in that clothing via establishment cameras. Recorded phone conversations also reportedly point to their involvement.

The female accused was arrested the day after the incident, followed by the others. Essalih fled towards France and was eventually apprehended in Belgium.

The defense has questioned the investigator's statements, deeming them 'deductions' and the evidence 'inconclusive.' They have also raised doubts about identifying the participants due to the masks and gloves, and the non-recovery of the weapons.