The death of a 15-year-old adolescent in Barcelona on Thursday night brings the total number of fatal firearm victims in Catalonia during 2026 to seven. This figure matches the total deaths recorded throughout 2025. The Catalan police have registered 65 incidents involving real firearms this year, of which seven were fatal and 22 resulted in injuries.
The intendant of the Mossos d'Esquadra headquarters, Toni Rodríguez, and the director general of the force, Josep Lluís Trapero, appeared to detail this data. They highlighted an "increase in complexity and violence in interactions between criminals," as well as greater access for young people to bladed and firearms.
Rodríguez pointed to a "certain socialization of firearms" used to protect plantations, sales points, or to defend a "criminal lifestyle." He also admitted a "certain resurgence in gang activity" linked to specific territorial areas, although Trapero emphasized that "territory will never belong to organized crime."
Trapero stated that firearms are not only linked to organized crime but also to "violent youth groups, with a different culture regarding violence." He announced that starting August 1st, an additional 1,300 officers will be deployed on the streets, with a progressive increase over the next four years to improve prevention and security.
Furthermore, criminal investigation and intelligence services will be strengthened. Trapero reiterated the need for legal changes in the Penal Code and the criminal procedure law to better combat the cultivation and trafficking of marijuana, and to penalize firearm possession.
