A Spanish police officer was killed and a bomb disposal expert seriously injured in an Oviedo backpack explosion on Tuesday, after a shooting in the northern city’s Villafría neighbourhood.
The device went off at about 8:45 a.m. local time as officers were moving a suspicious backpack outside a residential building, police said. The blast killed a sub-inspector from the National Police canine unit and left a bomb disposal officer in a critical condition.
FAKTA
- Dead: One National Police officer, a canine-unit sub-inspector named Juan José
- Seriously injured: One TEDAX bomb disposal officer, who lost a leg and is in a critical condition
- Also injured: A 17-year-old girl shot before the blast; she is out of danger
- Location: Rafael Urrusti Street, Villafría neighbourhood, Oviedo, Asturias
- Date: Tuesday 10 November 2026
- Suspect: A man in his 60s, still at large and believed to be armed
Oviedo backpack explosion: what happened
Police were called at about 7:30 a.m. after a dispute between neighbours in Villafría turned violent and shots were fired, police spokesman Pedro Aguado said. Officers found a 17-year-old girl with gunshot wounds and took her to the Central University Hospital of Asturias, where she is out of danger.
While searching for the gunman, officers found a suspicious backpack with a flashing light in the entrance of a building on Rafael Urrusti Street. They called in the canine unit and the TEDAX bomb disposal team.
“While the package was being moved outside to ensure the safety of the residents, an explosion occurred,” Aguado said. The blast happened at about 8:45 a.m.
The officer who died was a sub-inspector in the National Police canine unit, named by the force as Juan José. A TEDAX bomb disposal officer was seriously injured and had a leg amputated. He was undergoing surgery at the same hospital, police said. Early reports that both officers had died were wrong.
Manhunt under way as roads into Oviedo closed
Police closed all roads into Oviedo as they hunted for the suspect, causing long traffic backups at the entrances to the city. The suspect is described as a bald man in his 60s, and police have warned that he may be armed with a handgun and a rifle.
Police have not named the suspect. The mayor of Oviedo, Alfredo Canteli, went to the scene as investigators worked to establish the circumstances of the shooting and the explosion.
No terror motive suspected for now
Police sources told Spanish media that the suspect had an extensive police record for ordinary crimes and that a terrorist motive had been ruled out for now. It is not yet clear whether the shooting and the explosive device were connected.
Reaction
Spain’s National Police paid tribute to the dead officer in a statement on X, saying: “Our hearts are with his family, friends, colleagues and loved ones.”
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said he was deeply shocked by the death of a National Police officer in Oviedo. Opposition leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo said: “What happened in Oviedo is heartbreaking,” and sent condolences to the dead officer’s family.
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