Individual apprehended after gun attack on former colleagues
Five injured in southern Catalonia including three ex-coworkers, one police officer and suspect himself
Catalan police, the Mossos d'Esquadra, have apprehended an armed man in a derelict house on the outskirts of Riudoms, near Reus in the south of Catalonia, after an exchange of gunfire.
The suspect had shot and injured three former co-workers at a business in the center of Tarragona on Tuesday morning, before shooting and injuring a police officer at a checkpoint as he fled.
The former Securitas security guard was injured during shooting between him and officers from the Special Intervention Group (GEI) at around 4.30pm. Journalists stationed at a nearby roundabout were able to hear around a dozen shots fired.
The suspect received medical attention at the scene and was due to be transferred to hospital by helicopter.
Police sources said the man had a gun license and was experienced in the use of firearms. The Mossos d'Esquadra chief, Josep Lluís Trapero, followed events closely from the operations coordination center in Reus.
Members of the public were asked to avoid the area for their own safety and for the safety of the emergency services working there. Catalan police closed the T-11 highway, causing major delays between Reus and Les Borges del Camp.
Shootings
Three people were shot and injured at Securitas offices in General Prim square in the center of Tarragona on Tuesday morning: one man who is in a critical condition, and two people – a man and a woman – in a serious condition, according to emergency services.
Police were alerted at 11.17am to the shooting.
The fourth person injured was a Mossos d'Esquadra officer who was shot and wounded at a police checkpoint at a roundabout on the N-420 in Reus, part of the operation to apprehend the suspect. The police officer remained conscious.