Police Officer Killed and Another Critically Injured in Oviedo Explosion

A Spanish National Police officer and a police dog died, and another officer suffered severe injuries, following the detonation of an explosive device in the city of Oviedo. The incident occurred during a police response to an earlier neighborhood dispute and shooting in the Villafría district.

The events began just after 7:00 a.m. when a 17-year-old girl was shot and seriously injured during a conflict. Emergency responders and law enforcement officers, including specialized K-9 units and bomb disposal experts known as TEDAX, deployed to the residential building on Rafael Urrusti Street.

Upon arriving at the scene, officers discovered a partially open backpack containing a blinking light in the building's portal. A veteran subinspector assigned to the K-9 unit approached to examine the bag, which detonated at approximately 9:00 a.m. The blast resulted in the immediate death of the subinspector, widely known to colleagues as Jota, and his three-year-old German Shepherd partner named Deny.

A second officer, a bomb disposal specialist, sustained critical injuries in the explosion and was rushed to the Central University Hospital of Asturias. Medical personnel performed an amputation on one of his legs as part of his emergency treatment. The 17-year-old shooting victim was also transported to the hospital, where authorities reported that she is in stable condition and out of danger.

Law enforcement agencies launched a massive manhunt for the primary suspect, identified by local media as a 65-year-old man with multiple common delinquency convictions. Investigators noted that the profile of the suspect rules out any terrorist motivation. Police forces blocked access points to Oviedo and called upon local taxi drivers for assistance in locating the fugitive, who allegedly fled the scene in a high-end vehicle or a taxi while potentially armed.

In connection with the ongoing investigation, authorities detained the female partner of the suspect, a Russian national, though official details regarding the specific reasons for her arrest have not been fully disclosed. Police unions and municipal officials expressed profound grief over the loss of the officer and the police dog, offering condolences and support to their families and colleagues during this extraordinary crisis.