Spanish authorities are investigating what they said was a possible “terrorist” incident after a man stabbed several people at two churches, killing at least one.
he attack happened in the southern port city of Algeciras just after 8pm today.
The man attacked clergymen at two different churches – San Isidro and Nuestra Senora de La Palma, around 300m apart.
A source at Madrid’s High Court said the incident was being investigated as terrorism.
Police said the attacker had been arrested, while a police source shared footage showing two officers escorting a man in a hooded sports top in handcuffs through a police station. Police have not released details of the man’s name or nationality.
The man who was killed was Diego Valencia, a sacristan at the Nuestra Senora de La Palma church.
Meanwhile the priest of the parish church of San Isidro, Antonio RodrÃguez, was among the injured and is in serious condition.
Local media reported that at least three other people were injured.
The secretary general of Spain’s Episcopal Conference, Francisco Garcia, wrote on Twitter: “I have received the news of the incident in Algeciras with great pain.
“These are sad moments of suffering, we are united by the pain of families of the victims and for the Diocese of Cadiz,” he added.
Footage broadcast by local media showed a man dressed in black holding a weapon that appeared to be a machete. Reuters was not able to immediately verify the video.
El Mundo newspaper reported that four people had been injured in the attack.
