Basque Country police officer shoots man dead after he threatens to stab another officer

The police officer fired several shots and has since been suspended and his gun seized. At the station, he stated that he had opened fire because his colleague was in "grave danger".

He will now appear before the court, after receiving legal advice from the Euspel trade union. The other six police officers involved in the operation have given witness statements.

It all began shortly before 8pm on Monday in one of the main bar districts in town. Barefoot and wearing a white vest, Welle wandered around the terrace of the Gran Sol bar, threatening the customers. He was holding a knife in one hand.

The emergency services received several calls requesting police assistance. Several police units attended the scene. They repeatedly ordered the man to drop the knife. "Everyone stand back!" an officer shouted.

According to Mayor Igor Enparan, the man suffered from mental health issues and both Osakidetza (the public healthcare provider in the Basque Country) and the town hall's social workers were aware of his situation.

As Welle made his way down a crowded street, armed with a knife clearly visible in one hand and uttering incoherent phrases, the seven officers followed him to a roundabout.

At that moment, the man turned abruptly and began threatening one of the female officers and tried to attack her, "but missed", according to eyewitnesses. The officer fell to the ground and, when the attacker lunged at her again with the knife, the now suspended officer fired at least three shots at him. Some of the shots hit Welle in the back and he collapsed to the ground.

While waiting for an ambulance, the police administered first aid. When the paramedics arrived, however, they could only confirm the man's death after 30 minutes of CPR.

The Ertzaintza police have launched an investigation to clarify the circumstances of the incident. Residents of Hondarribia have stated that earlier that morning they had heard Babacar Welle threatening to kill someone.

The mayor acknowledged on Tuesday: "If we had taken action earlier, this could have been avoided. I feel that we have failed as a society. We have not been able to provide him with an effective solution through our institutions."

The police who were familiar with Babacar Welle's case told SUR that they "knew something like this was going to happen". "If he was mentally ill, he should have been in a care facility," they stated.

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