At Least One Person Has Been Killed By A Man Wielding A Machete In Spain
At least one person has been killed by a man wielding a machete in Spain after he attacked several people inside of two churches in the city of Algeciras. The authorities in Spain have stated that they are investigating what they have termed a possible "terrorist incident."
Author:Rhyley CarneyReviewer:Paula M. GrahamJan 27, 202312.6K Shares218.2K Views
At least one person has been killed by a man wielding a machete in Spainafter he attacked several people inside two churches in the city of Algeciras. The authorities in Spain have stated that they are investigating what they have termed a possible "terrorist incident."
A spokesperson for the city of Algeciras stated that the person attacked clergymen at two different churches on Wednesday evening in the downtown area of the city. The churches, San Isidro and Nuestra Senora de La Palma, are approximately 300 meters (1,000 feet) apart from one another.
According to the Ministry of the Interior, the suspect initially went into the church of San Isidro in Algeciras, where he assaulted the priest and left him with significant injuries. After that, the suspect is said to have gone to a second church, where he fatally stabbed a verger.
A short time later, the suspect was taken into custody after being disarmed. A video that was obtained by a source within the police department shows two policemen leading a man who is cuffed and wearing a hooded sports top through a police station. The police have not disclosed the suspect's name or nationality at this time. The local media, including the newspaper El Pais, said that he was 25 years old and from Morocco.
In a statement released this evening, the Ministry of the Interior said:
“„Just after 19:00 local time (18:00 GMT) this evening, a man entered the church of San Isidro in Algeciras, where, armed with a machete, he attacked the priest, leaving him seriously wounded. Subsequently, he entered the church of Nuestra Senora de La Palma in which, after causing damage, he attacked the verger.- The Ministry of the Interior in Spain
The statement went on to say that the suspected victim was able to escape the church, but that while leaving the building, they were attacked once more and mortally injured.
The ministry stated that "Moments later, (the assailant) was disarmed and arrested and is currently in police custody."
At least one dead, several injured in machete attack at southern Spain churches
Diego Valencia, a sacristan at the Nuestra Senora de La Palma church, was identified as the victim of the attack. Antonio Rodriguez, the titular priest of the parish church of San Isidro, was among the injured and is in serious condition, according to a spokesperson for the city of Algeciras.
Valencia was the man who was killed in the incident. Others, the exact number of which is unknown, were hurt as well. According to a report from the daily El Mundo, the incident resulted in the injuries of four people.
Juan Jose Marina, the parish priest at Nuestra Senora de La Palma, told the radio SER that the suspect headed straight for Valencia after the mass had been completed, which suggests that the suspect may have thought Valencia was the priest.
Tears streaming over her face, Marina speculated that:
“„Possibly, this death was meant for me and it found him instead.- Juan Jose Marina, the parish priest at Nuestra Senora de La Palma
On Twitter, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez expressed his sympathies to the families of the deceased verger who had been killed in the attack. He tweeted: "I send my deepest condolences to the families of the verger who died in this terrible attack."
The assault was criticized as a "brutal and vicious attack" by the local Muslim community in Algeciras, who voiced their disapproval of the event.
Conclusion
The Iberinan peninsula, Morocco, and Spain's enclave in north Africa, Ceuta, can all be reached by ferry from Algeciras, which is why it is such a busy port. The mayor of Algeciras, Jose Ignacio Landaluce, has announced that Thursday will be a day of mourning in the city and that a rally would take place in front of the Nuestra Senora de La Palma church at noon on that day.
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