A dramatic incident occurred at the airport on the Spanish holiday island of Gran Canaria, in which a young man armed with a large knife attacked several people and was subsequently shot dead by police. The incident occurred on Saturday and immediately triggered an investigation into the circumstances.
According to the island's judiciary, the 18-year-old man appeared to be acting in a state of agitation. He ran among passengers at the airport taxi stand with a knife in his hand while being pursued by police officers. Video footage of the incident shows the police arresting the man. After the attacker attacked a taxi driver, knocked down a police officer, and assaulted another officer, the officers opened fire. Five shots hit the young man, including one in the neck, the judiciary said.
Background of the attacker and possible motives
There was initially no official information about the motive for the attack. However, the newspaper "Canarias7," citing eyewitnesses, reported that the man, who had come to Gran Canaria from Gambia as a child in 2006, had attempted to enter the airport's departure area shortly before the attacks.
He reportedly had a plane ticket to Gambia, but not until the following Wednesday. When he attempted to fly on Saturday, he was stopped by security personnel. Nevertheless, he attempted to enter the departure area, triggering an alarm with his backpack. An investigation is now underway to determine whether this incident is related to the subsequent stabbing attack.
Reactions and investigations
The incident has caused consternation in Spain, and particularly on Gran Canaria. The judiciary has immediately launched an investigation to clarify the exact circumstances of the knife attack and the subsequent shooting by the police. Both witness statements and video footage of the incident are being evaluated. The investigation aims to determine whether the police's actions were proportionate and whether there are any indications of a possible motive for the attacker.
The identity of the man killed has been confirmed by authorities. The individuals involved, the taxi driver who was attacked and the police officers who were knocked down, sustained injuries, the severity of which was not immediately disclosed. Airport operations were apparently not significantly disrupted by the incident after the situation was brought under control.
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