Man shot dead near Barcelona police station in second fatal shooting within a week

The victim, described by police as a middle-aged man, was killed shortly before 10am at the intersection of Carrer Balmes and Granada del Penedès in the Sant Gervasi-Galvany area of the Catalan capital, a district sometimes referred to as Barcelona’s ‘Hollywood Hills’.

The shooting took place directly outside a National Police office responsible for issuing national identity cards and passports.

The Catalan police, the Mossos d’Esquadra, confirmed the suspected gunman fled the scene after the attack and remains at large. Officers later recovered the murder weapon, which according to sources was abandoned near a bus stop in Plaça Gal·la Placídia, a short distance from the scene.

Sub-inspector Sergi Riera, deputy head of the Sarrià-Sant Gervasi police station, told reporters that officers responded after receiving reports of the incident and found the victim ‘lying on the ground with bullet wounds’.

A woman is understood to have discovered the victim and alerted emergency services.

According to Spanish media, witnesses said the attacker appeared to approach the victim from behind before firing a shot to the head. One witness claimed the gunman then moved closer and fired a second shot before fleeing.

Police have not released the victim’s identity or disclosed a possible motive for the killing. They are searching for a suspect described as a large, robust man in his thirties, around 1.8 metres tall, who was dressed in black.

The shooting occurred in a densely populated part of Barcelona and close to a school, heightening concern among residents and passers-by.

The killing happened on the same day that Pope Leo was visiting Barcelona, with thousands of officers deployed across the city and extensive security measures already in place ahead of the pontiff’s appearance at the Sagrada Família. However, the Mossos were quick to rule out any connection between the homicide and the Pope’s visit. ALSO READ: Pope blesses Sagrada Familia’s Tower of Jesus after visits to prison and Montserrat.

The attack is the latest in a series of fatal shootings that have shaken Barcelona in recent weeks.

Last Sunday, another man was shot dead on Carrer Mineria in the Zona Franca area of the city. Reports identified the victim as a Serbian national who was allegedly shot four times.

Police are investigating whether the recent violence may be linked to organised crime, with some reports suggesting rival Balkan criminal gangs could be involved.

The latest killing also sparked a political reaction. Daniel Sirera, leader of the right-wing People’s Party (PP) in Barcelona and a city councillor, criticised what he described as a failure by authorities to tackle rising violence in the city.

Writing on social media, he said: ‘Another homicide in broad daylight. That makes seven in just two months. This time in Sarrià-Sant Gervasi. I demand an urgent meeting of all municipal groups to address the inaction of [Pedro] Sánchez, [Salvador] Illa, and [Jaume] Collboni’ – the Spanish PM, Catalan president and Barcelona mayor respectively.

His comments came just days after Barcelona mayor called for ‘more police and harsher penalties’ in response to a rise in deaths linked to organised crime and drug trafficking.

Investigators continue to examine the circumstances surrounding the shooting while efforts remain under way to locate and arrest the gunman.