British news outlets are reporting that a man walked into the Mercadona supermarket in As Lagoas, Spain, shouting “Allahu Akbar,” before opening fire into the air and then at a policeman. It doesn’t appear that there were any casualties.
Officer Carlos Perez, who was already at the supermarket, revealed he was fired at when he tried to stop the attack.
The 38-year-old revealed the attacker was only apprehended after his colleagues arrived.
He said: “I had the impression that he ran out of ammunition.”
The attacker was allegedly carrying “gasoline and gunpowder” in his pockets. Despite that, the Daily Star calls the attack a “botched robbery” although offers nothing to support the assertion. The shooter apparently been arrested; his identity and motive have not yet been formally confirmed.
According to a survey of international gun laws maintained by the U.S. Library of Congress, gun laws in Spain are characterized as being “highly restrictive.”
The bearing of arms by civilians is not considered a right but a privilege that may be granted by the government if legal conditions are met…. Different types of licenses are required according to the type of weapon to be used. Firearms licenses for personal security are restricted to those who can prove that a real danger to their security exists. Automatic weapons are strictly forbidden to civilians.
Firearms must be kept in safe, locked, and secure storage.
Depending on the type of license issued, Spanish citizens may be limited to owning as few as five firearms. Or, of course, none if they lack the approval of the Spanish state.
As Lagoas is located in northwestern Spain, north of the Portuguese border.