A Turkish football ultra has been identified as the man shot in the face while dining at Malaga’s busy Muelle Uno leisure complex.
Ümit Yalçin, 47, was attacked at around 10.30pm on Tuesday as he ate on the terrace of a restaurant in the popular waterfront destination.
Yalçin, reportedly known as Ümit ‘the Gypsy’, is a well-known figure among supporters of Turkish football giant Fenerbahçe.
The gunman fled immediately after opening fire and remained at large on Wednesday.
Yalçin was rushed to a hospital in Malaga, where he remains under treatment. Doctors initially feared for his life due to the severity of the wound, although officials have since confirmed that his condition is no longer considered life-threatening.
Government subdelegate Javier Salas had said police were treating the incident as a suspected settling of scores between drug-trafficking groups.
However, the precise motive has not been established.
Police have also declined to confirm reports that two people may have been involved.
The shooting unfolded in front of diners at one of Malaga’s busiest tourist attractions, sparking panic among customers and nearby residents.
A woman living near Muelle Uno said she heard the gunfire while walking her dog.
‘I heard it and panicked,’ she told Malaga Hoy. ‘It was just after 10.30pm. I went straight home and didn’t want to know any more.’
The attack came just five days after 20-year-old Nacho was fatally shot while sitting on a bench in the Barcenillas area of Malaga.
Investigators believe the young man had no criminal connections and was killed after the attackers mistook him for a hitman whom they believed was watching them.
Three suspects arrested over that killing have since been remanded in custody.
The two incidents have intensified concerns about gun crime in Malaga, despite officials insisting that the city and wider province remain safe.
Additional Policia Nacional officers are being deployed from elsewhere in Andalucia following the shootings.
Read more Andalucia news at the Spanish Eye.
