Spanish police officer killed by backpack explosive in Oviedo, colleague badly injured

What happened

Police were called early on Tuesday, 10 November 2026, to a district of Oviedo in northern Spain after reports of a violent incident involving gunfire. Reports differ on who was involved: some describe a dispute between two families, others a quarrel between neighbours. During the incident a 17-year-old girl was shot and wounded, and reports say she was taken to hospital, where her condition is not considered serious. Officers searching for the gunman found a backpack at the entrance of a residential building with a light that was blinking. Units with dogs trained to detect explosives and bomb-disposal technicians were sent to the spot. The device went off around 08:50 local time while officers were trying to defuse it and carry it to a safe place away from residents, and the area has been cordoned off.

The blast and the injured

The explosion killed a non-commissioned officer from the police dog unit. A second officer, a member of the TEDAX bomb-disposal unit, was badly hurt and suffered severe damage to one leg. Reports disagree on what happened to that leg, with some saying it was amputated and others saying surgeons were still trying to save it. One report said the hospital had at one point announced that the second officer had also died, but later reports describe him undergoing surgery. Spanish police later posted a message of condolence on X, saying their thoughts were with the dead officer's family, friends, colleagues and loved ones.

The search for suspects

Police sources confirmed that the man still at large is a 64-year-old Spaniard with a criminal record for common-law offences. His wife has already been arrested as part of the investigation. Authorities are looking for him as well as for the owner of the backpack. Reports have not yet established how the backpack is connected to the gunman or to the family dispute. A police officer speaking to reporters said a judicial commission had already arrived at the scene to remove the body. Police maintain a large presence in the area, which remains sealed off.

Open questions

Local media reported that officers spotted the backpack while already at the building for a separate, unrelated incident, a detail that differs from accounts tying the search directly to the shooting. Outlets also differ on the nature of the feud, and according to one report the reason the girl was shot remains unknown. Investigators are examining the blast and how it connects to the dispute, and no further charges have been reported so far.