An illegal immigrant killed a Spanish waiter who was returning from work

Barcelona adds a new episode of urban violence that has reopened the debate about street safety and the approach to irregular immigration.

A man approximately 50 years old died this week as a result of a violent incident that occurred in the early morning of June 29 in the historic center of the city, when he was returning home after finishing his workday as a waiter at a restaurant in Barceloneta.

The events took place around five in the morning, coinciding with the San Pedro festival. According to police sources, the victim was walking accompanied by his son when a cyclist—identified as a 25-year-old young man of Maghrebi origin with a criminal record—almost ran them over.

The worker reproached the reckless maneuver, which led to a disproportionate reaction from the striker: without saying a word, he pulled out a knife and tried to stab the man. During the struggle, the victim fell to the ground and suffered a severe blow to the head that left him unconscious.

The injured man was taken to the hospital, where he remained in critical condition for several days, until he finally died this week. As a result of his death, the authorities redirected the investigation and now the case is being treated as a possible homicide.

Mossos d'Esquadra, through the Investigation Unit of the Old City police station, are awaiting the results of the autopsy to determine whether there is a direct link between the assault and the death, which could imply a reformulation of the charges against the detainee.

Initially, the alleged striker was arrested for assault and released. The victim, a worker with a family, now joins the list of homicides that have occurred so far this year in the Catalan capital. If the change in criminal classification is confirmed, this would be the eighth homicide recorded in Barcelona in 2024, matching the figure for the same period last year.

Police sources do not rule out that the motive for the attack was an attempted robbery, although so far there is no conclusive evidence. The recurrence of similar cases in the area reinforces concerns about the impact of crime linked to irregular migrant profiles.

Weeks ago, also in the Old City, two young Maghrebis were arrested after causing the death of a homeless person with a single blow. In that case, the Urban Guard arrested them and later handed them over to Mossos for investigation for homicide.

This new incident once again calls into question the effectiveness of urban security policies, the judicial treatment of cases of violence perpetrated by individuals with criminal records, and the lack of control over mass immigration that European countries have experienced following the progressive policies of the populist left.

The initial release of the suspect, despite his criminal record, and his subsequent connection to a homicide raises questions about the protocols for action in the face of risk situations in public spaces.