A Mosso de Esquadra officer shot dead by his father-in-law in the middle of a street in Lleida

BarcelonaA man died this Wednesday afternoon after being shot in the street in Lleida. According to sources familiar with the case, the victim is an off-duty Mossos d'Esquadra officer. The alleged perpetrator is his father-in-law, a 78-year-old man who surrendered to police at the scene and was arrested shortly after the crime. The same sources emphasize that it was a family dispute unrelated to the victim's work as a police officer. The incident occurred on Doctora Castells Street, in the Lleida neighborhood of Cappont.

The Mossos d'Esquadra received the alert around 3:20 p.m., and several police patrols and emergency services were dispatched to the scene. In fact, according to sources consulted by ARA, it was the perpetrator himself who, after firing five fatal shots at his son-in-law, called the police. He then left the gun in the car, covered the body with a sheet, and waited for the officers to arrive. When they arrived, he gave them his cell phone and surrendered. Moments later, he was arrested, as can be seen in a video recorded by neighbors.

According to sources consulted by ARA, the perpetrator of the crime may have suffered from mental health issues, and initial hypotheses suggest that the conflict was triggered by a family dispute over visiting the women, whom sources close to the case explain he had not been able to see regularly for some time. In fact, they add, the alleged murderer's relationship with his daughter and son-in-law was not good.

Initial reconstructions point to a premeditated crime: the now-detained man went to look for the victim in the neighborhood where he lived and, once he saw him on the street, opened fire. The Mossos d'Esquadra officer was stationed at the Mollerussa police station, had been a police officer for two decades, and had two daughters.

In a statement, the General Directorate of Police and the Mossos d'Esquadra Headquarters expressed their regret over the officer's death. They also expressed their condolences and support for the victim's family, friends, and colleagues, and "recognized his career and exemplary dedication to the Mossos d'Esquadra Corps during his 21 years of service."