Barcelona Judge Orders Closed Custody for Two Minors After Fatal Stabbing in Manresa

Fatal altercation in Manresa

Carles Vilajosana, a 45-year-old gardener and father of twin boys from Castellnou de Bages, died from a single stab wound to the chest in Manresa at approximately 5:10 AM on Tuesday. The attack occurred on Carrer de Sant Jaume during the closing night of the town festival, following the traditional Correfoc celebration and an open-air dance in Plaça Major. Hours before the incident, Vilajosana had intervened to separate two quarrelling groups of youths after his former partner picked up his children. Later in the morning, Vilajosana and his companions encountered one of the groups again in the street. Witnesses reported that 15-year-old Pere O. threw a traffic cone at the group, triggering a confrontation during which 16-year-old Otman A. allegedly drove a knife directly into Vilajosana's heart.

Arrests and judicial measures

First-responding officers from the Mossos d'Esquadra initiated cardiopulmonary resuscitation at the scene, but medical personnel were unable to revive the victim. Following witness descriptions, police located and arrested the two teenage suspects without resistance at a nearby occupied flat where a group of youths lived. Both suspects had prior police records for violent robberies and vehicle offenses. Pere O. had been released roughly one month earlier from a juvenile detention facility, where he had been held since May on charges including robbery and attempted homicide relating to the April stabbing of a local bartender. On Wednesday, the juvenile section of the Barcelona Court of First Instance ordered provisional pre-trial custody in a closed regime at the Can Llupià juvenile centre for both minors on preliminary charges of homicide.

Community response and municipal prosecution

More than 200 people gathered at noon on Wednesday in front of Manresa City Hall to observe a minute of silence in memory of Vilajosana. The memorial drew family members, municipal officials, representatives from regional political parties, and leaders from the town's two Islamic communities. Manresa Mayor Marc Aloy announced that the municipal council will appear as a private prosecutor in the criminal proceedings against the accused. Aloy called for rigorous judicial action while cautioning against using the tragedy for partisan purposes.

It is essential that all administrations join forces in the face of situations that occurred today in Manresa, but that can occur anywhere in the country. We are talking about young people who have used extreme violence, 16-year-olds carrying a knife on a festival night. This is intolerable.

Political clash over minor suspects

The fatal attack prompted immediate political friction across Catalonia regarding public security and immigration. Leaders from Vox and Aliança Catalana, Ignacio Garriga and Sílvia Orriols, published messages on social media attributing the crime to Moroccan migrants and unaccompanied minors. Catalan Interior Minister Núria Parlon rejected those statements during an interview on Catalunya Ràdio, clarifying that both detained teenagers were born in Catalonia and lived with their families. Parlon criticised the right-wing parties for promoting hatred against vulnerable groups and stated that authorities would consider filing legal complaints over the comments.

We cannot blame a group of people for the very serious acts committed by specific individuals.

Noureddine El Benadi, president of the Islamic community of Manresa, joined the civic gathering to offer condolences to Vilajosana's family and appealed for social cohesion across the municipality.