An early morning ambush in Badalona’s Sant Roc neighbourhood left a man seriously injured after he was shot in the back. This incident is the latest in a series of firearm attacks plaguing the Barcelona metropolitan area.
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The attack took place around 3 AM on Sunday, 15 March, outside number 11 on Carrer de Huelva. El Caso reported the victim himself called 112, alerting operators he had been shot from behind by an unknown assailant and was losing significant blood.
Mossos d’Esquadra patrols quickly arrived, finding the man with a gunshot wound that reportedly passed through his foot. The victim told officers he did not know his attacker, describing him only as a man of Roma ethnicity with a heavy build. Police recovered two spent bullet casings from the pavement, sending them for forensic analysis to identify the weapon.
Police Investigation and a Pattern of Violence
Emergency medical teams from the Sistema d’Emergències Mèdiques (SEM) provided first aid before transporting the injured man to Hospital Germans Trias i Pujol, widely known as Can Ruti. His condition remains serious.
The Mossos d’Esquadra’s elite Criminal Investigation Division (DIC) for the North Metropolitan region has taken charge of the case. Investigators are working to determine a motive for the shooting and identify the perpetrator, who fled immediately after the attack.
However, this shooting does not appear to be an isolated incident. It occurred less than 24 hours after another firearm alert in Badalona. On Saturday afternoon, around 4 PM, a witness called 112 reporting up to seven consecutive gunshots near the intersection of Carrer del Maresme and Carrer de Càceres, also in Badalona. The caller suggested the sound indicated an entire magazine had been emptied. Despite a swift deployment of Mossos patrols, officers found no victims, suspects, or clear evidence of a shooting.
A ‘Wall of Silence’ Hindering Investigations
The recurring incidents of gun violence are a growing concern for law enforcement in the Àrea Metropolitana de Barcelona. Authorities acknowledge that many cases remain unsolved due to a lack of cooperation from witnesses or even victims. Police sources describe this phenomenon as a “neighbourhood silence” akin to an omertà, which severely complicates investigations. It is a known challenge in several neighbourhoods, including Sant Roc in Badalona, La Mina in Sant Adrià de Besòs, and Sant Cosme in El Prat de Llobregat.
This shooting adds to a string of violent crimes in and around Barcelona in recent months. Authorities are still investigating several other serious attacks, including a fatal street shooting in Castelldefels and a critical stabbing in a Sant Martí warehouse.
Detectives are now exploring whether Sunday’s Sant Roc shooting connects to other recent Badalona disputes or if it was a singular, targeted attack. The resident who reported Saturday’s gunfire noted that hearing shots, particularly in the early hours, is becoming alarmingly common.
