A major manhunt is underway after an illegal migrant allegedly shot a lawyer at point-blank range in Almeria.
The attack in El Ejido, which took place at around 9.30am Wednesday on Calle Granada, has taken a dramatic turn.
It comes after investigators confirmed the victim was struck by a live bullet fired from an antique .32 calibre automatic pistol, and not by a pellet gun as initially believed.
The lawyer remains in hospital with a guarded prognosis, marking a significant deterioration from the first medical assessments, which suggested she had suffered only minor injuries.
According to broadcaster Antena 3, the Policia Nacional have identified the suspect as a Moroccan national believed to be living illegally in Spain, with no known fixed address or ties to the area.
Officers say they are deploying all available resources to track him down and bring him into custody.
Investigators have also ruled out early reports that the shooting was an act of revenge by someone who had lost a court case against the lawyer’s client.
Instead, police now believe the suspect was a dissatisfied former client who had been involved in a dispute with the lawyer over the payment of compensation linked to a case she had handled on his behalf.
Emergency services rushed to the scene after receiving reports of the shooting, with Local Police and paramedics responding.
The attack has been strongly condemned by the Almeria Bar Association and the Council of Andalusian Bar Associations (CADECA), which described it as an incident of ‘extraordinary seriousness.’
In a statement, the organisations said any attack on a legal professional constitutes ‘a direct attack on the rule of law’, adding that lawyers must be able to carry out their work free from violence or intimidation.
The investigation continues.
