A Spanish National Police officer has been killed and another seriously injured after a bomb hidden inside a backpack exploded in the northern Spanish city of Oviedo.
The explosion occurred on Tuesday morning in the Villafría neighbourhood, after police officers were called to a residential property following reports of a shooting linked to a dispute between two families.
According to Spanish media reports, a 17-year-old girl had been shot and injured during the incident. She was taken to hospital and is reported to be out of danger.
When officers arrived at the property, they discovered a backpack containing what appeared to be an explosive device at the entrance to the building.
Specialist officers from the police explosives disposal unit, known as TEDAX, were called to examine the suspicious object.
The backpack was subsequently moved outside the building to prevent residents from being put at risk. However, the device exploded while officers were handling it, killing one officer and seriously injuring another.
The officer who lost his life was a sub-inspector serving with the National Police’s canine unit, while the injured officer belonged to the TEDAX explosives disposal unit.
The second officer suffered extremely serious injuries and had to undergo the amputation of one of his legs. He was taken to the Central University Hospital of Asturias, where he remains in a critical condition.
Spanish police have launched an operation to locate the suspected perpetrator, who is believed to be connected to both the shooting and the explosive device.
The investigation remains ongoing, with police working to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident and how the explosive device came to be placed inside the building.
The incident has prompted an outpouring of condolences from police representatives, with the JUPOL police union expressing its grief over the death of the officer and offering support to his family, friends and colleagues.
The Spanish National Police have also expressed their condolences to the family of the deceased officer and wished the injured colleague a speedy recovery.
Newsroom
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