Suspect of Malaga healthcare worker violent attack under arrest

The National Police have arrested a 26-year-old man in Malaga for allegedly slashing the face of a 45-year-old healthcare worker who was sitting on a bench waiting for his shift to start in the Cristo de la Epidemia area on 24 June.

The victim sustained an 18-centimetre cut, which required approximately 30 stitches.

As SUR reported during the investigation, minutes before the attack, the suspect allegedly attempted to snatch a gold necklace from a woman walking in the area, very close to an ice cream parlour. The robbery was thwarted thanks to the quick intervention of the victim's husband, who came to her aid and prevented the theft.

Shortly afterwards, the detainee attacked the healthcare worker, who had parked his car close to work a few minutes before the start of his night shift.

The worker did notice a suspicious man who was "wearing a black sweatshirt with long sleeves despite the heat, flip-flops, and a white fanny pack", so he moved closer to the health centre and sat down on a bench to wait for his shift.

Without saying a word, the suspect approached him from behind, grabbed him tightly by the neck and inflicted a deep cut on the left side of his face.

After reviewing security camera footage, taking witness statements and carrying out various other procedures, the police were able to identify the suspect in a short period of time.

The search operation culminated at 6.30pm on Tuesday, when the police located and arrested the suspect on Avenida de América.

They have charged him with assault and robbery with violence. The detainee has a prior criminal record for similar offences. According to the National Police, he was also arrested in Alicante for an almost identical incident back in February.

On that occasion, he attacked another person in the face with a sharp object (allegedly a razor blade). As in the Malaga case, the victim in Alicante stated that he did not know the attacker at all and that the attack had occurred completely randomly and without any prior conflict.

The detainee, along with the police report containing all the proceedings, was brought before the court of first instance of Malaga this Friday.

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