A Spanish policeman and a sniffer dog were killed on Tuesday after a backpack bomb exploded following a shooting, while another officer lost his leg.
The officers had been deployed to a property in the northern town of Oviedo following reports of a shooting after a family dispute, in which a 17-year-old girl was seriously wounded.
Police and members of the bomb disposal unit arrived at the scene, where they located a backpack outside the entrance of the building containing an explosive device allegedly left behind by the shooter.
While officers were handling the device, the explosive detonated, killing a man named locally as Juan Jose, who was part of the Special Canine Unit.
A three-year-old German Shepherd named Deny, who was assisting him in the operation, was also killed, Spain‘s National Police said.
The injured officer, meanwhile, was part of the bomb disposal unit. He remained in a very serious condition after losing a leg.
The teenager injured in the shooting remains in hospital but is no longer in a critical condition.
Police said they were still trying to locate the suspect, a 64-year-old Spanish national who allegedly has a long criminal record, Spanish newspaper El País reports. Authorities have ruled out a terror motive.
A police man has died, and another was seriously injured while trying to detonate an explosive device in the Spanish town of Oviedo. Pictured: Officers cordon off the area after the explosion
The device exploded as officers were handling it while investigating an earlier report of shots fired at a 17-year-old girl
Sniffer dog Deny, who was assisting in the operation, was also killed in the explosion
The suspect’s wife has already been arrested in connection with the police investigation.
It is understood that authorities have cordoned off the scene as they try to gather more information.
Spain’s National Police have expressed their condolences to Juan Jose, writing in a statement: ‘Our hearts go out to his family, friends, colleagues, and loved ones.’
They added that they wished the injured officer a ‘speedy recovery’.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez took to X to express his ‘deep shock’ at the death of a National Police officer.
‘There are no words to ease the pain of his family and colleagues,’ he wrote.
‘All my love to them and all my strength to the seriously injured officer. Your dedication and courage deserve the gratitude of an entire country.’
This is a breaking news story, more to follow.