Execution by shooting outside Barcelona police station

A man was shot dead on Balmes street, near the National Police station, in an incident believed to be linked to drug trafficking rivalries.

Generic image of police emergency lights reflecting on wet asphalt at night.
IA

Generic image of police emergency lights reflecting on wet asphalt at night.

A man was shot dead on Wednesday morning on Balmes street in Barcelona, very close to a National Police station, in a crime being investigated as a possible revenge attack between drug trafficking gangs.

The Mossos d'Esquadra have launched a search operation for the gunman, described as a strong-built man around 40 years old, who shot the victim in the head before fleeing the scene on foot. Surveillance cameras from the nearby police station captured images of the suspect.
According to eyewitnesses, including a 72-year-old resident, the incident was swift and without prior argument. "I heard a sound like a firecracker, looked up, and saw a man about 40 years old, well-built, wearing a beige polo shirt with his arm extended and a pistol in his hand," stated one witness who saw him flee down Granada del Penedès street.
The alleged perpetrator of the homicide fled down Granada del Penedès street to Via Augusta, and then to the bus shelter at Gal·la Placídia square. There, he reportedly discarded the murder weapon, a pistol hidden under a bicycle helmet, and left his mobile phone on the bench. The Homicide unit is investigating the case.
The attack occurred amidst heightened tension in the city, already affected by the Pope's visit to Barcelona, which caused significant traffic disruptions and a special police deployment.