A Spanish National Police officer was killed and a bomb disposal expert was seriously injured on Tuesday, 10 November 2026, when an explosive device hidden in a backpack detonated in the northern city of Oviedo. Officers had been called to the scene after a shooting in which a 17-year-old girl was wounded.

The blast happened in the Villafría district of Oviedo, in Asturias, at about 8.45am. The officer who died was a sub-inspector in the National Police canine unit, named by the force as Juan José. A bomb disposal officer from the TEDAX unit lost a leg in the explosion and remains in a critical condition in hospital. Reports said the officer's police dog also died in the blast.

Spain's National Police paid tribute to the dead officer in a statement on X, saying: "Our hearts are with his family, friends, colleagues and loved ones." Oviedo city council declared two days of official mourning.

How the morning unfolded

Police received a call at about 7.30am reporting a dispute between neighbours in Villafría in which shots had been fired. Officers found a 17-year-old girl with gunshot wounds. She was taken to the Central University Hospital of Asturias, known as HUCA, where she remains in hospital but out of danger.

While searching for the suspected attacker, officers found a suspicious backpack in the entrance of a residential building on Rafael Urrusti Street. The bag was partly open and had a flashing light, which led officers to believe it could contain an explosive device. The canine unit and the TEDAX bomb disposal specialists were called in.

Police spokesman Pedro Aguado said the specialists moved the backpack out into the street to protect residents. As the canine unit sub-inspector approached the bag to inspect it, the device exploded, killing him on the spot. The TEDAX officer with him was caught in the blast, suffered the amputation of a leg and was taken to HUCA for emergency surgery, where he remains in a very serious condition.

Manhunt under way

A large police operation is under way in the area, which has been cordoned off while the incident is investigated. Police are searching for the man suspected of firing the shots, who is believed to still be armed and may be carrying further explosives.

Police sources told Spanish media the suspect is a man of about 65 from the neighbourhood with an extensive police record for ordinary crimes, and that a terrorist motive had been ruled out for now. He has not been named by police. Investigators are still establishing whether the shooting and the explosive device are directly linked, or whether they were separate events.

According to initial reports, the shooting followed a dispute between two families in the neighbourhood. The investigation continues, and police have urged residents to stay away from the cordoned-off area while the search goes on.