This is the moment three men were arrested over a deadly shooting in Huelva that killed a pregnant woman, her mother and an innocent 16-year-old boy.
More than 80 Guardia Civil officers were deployed on Tuesday morning to carry out five simultaneous raids in Huelva city as part of the investigation into the bloodshed in Isla Cristina on August 16.
The three suspects, aged between 24 and 36, are being investigated for four counts of murder, with authorities treating the unborn baby as a fourth victim.
They are also accused of belonging to a criminal organisation.
During the raids, officers seized a firearm, almost €30,000 in cash, around 20 mobile phones, several bulletproof vests, a Taser and documents allegedly linking the suspects to the killings.
Three killed in shooting
The arrests come more than three weeks after the shooting rocked the coastal town of Isla Cristina.
A 62-year-old woman, a pregnant 39-year-old woman and a 16-year-old boy were killed in the attack.
The Guardia Civil said extensive investigations since then, including forensic examinations of the scene and analysis of evidence recovered there, had allowed detectives to identify some of those allegedly involved.
However, much of the investigation remains under a court-imposed secrecy order, meaning authorities have released few details about the suspected motive or circumstances surrounding the killings.
Elite officers deployed
Given the alleged dangerousness of those targeted and the complexity of Tuesday’s operation, some of the Guardia Civil’s most specialised units were drafted in.
They included officers from the Unidad Especial de Intervencion (UEI), an elite tactical unit used in particularly high-risk operations, and the Grupo de Accion Rapida (GAR).
A Guardia Civil helicopter was also deployed, alongside dog handlers and specialist police dogs.
The five properties in Huelva city were searched simultaneously after investigators obtained judicial authorisation.
Police said the raids uncovered a firearm as well as cash, phones, protective equipment and other evidence they believe connects the suspects to the August shooting.
More arrests possible
The three detained men remain in Guardia Civil custody and are expected to be brought before the Ayamonte court investigating the case in the coming days.
The seized evidence will also be handed over to the court.
The investigation is being led by the Judicial Police unit of the Guardia Civil’s Huelva Command, supported by officers from Ayamonte.
Crucially, investigators say the operation remains open and further arrests have not been ruled out.
Authorities have not yet disclosed the identities or nationalities of the victims or suspects, nor publicly revealed a motive for the killings.
Read more Andalucia news at the Spanish Eye.
