Badalona mayor Xavier García Albiol has publicly backed a Mossos d'Esquadra officer who fired warning shots during an overnight car theft incident in the city. The confrontation took place at a petrol station in Badalona, in Catalonia.
According to reports, officers were trying to block the stolen car from escaping when the driver rammed an unmarked Mossos vehicle. One officer then fired several warning shots into the air. No one was injured.
The police response has drawn criticism on social media, but Albiol said on Sunday that he wanted to express his support and gratitude to the officers involved. He said the agents were being questioned for their actions while trying to stop what he described as professional criminals operating on motorways.
Albiol also said crime is not the same as it was 10 years ago. He argued that police officers need room to act within the law if authorities are to stop this kind of offending.
For readers following policing and public safety across Catalonia, this case adds to the wider debate over how officers should respond to serious crime. See our latest news coverage for more updates.
