A 12-year-old Romanian boy died after being stabbed multiple times in the bathrooms of the La Despernada cultural center in Villanueva de la Cañada, Madrid. The alleged attacker, a 19-year-old with autism, fled the scene and is being sought by the Civil Guard. The incident took place around 7:45 p.m. on Thursday.
The boy suffered stab wounds to the thorax, neck, and back, causing cardiorespiratory arrest. Summa 112 teams initially stabilized him and airlifted him to Hospital 12 de Octubre in critical condition, where he later died.
The attacker, who according to witnesses stabbed the victim in the back after an angry episode with a group of minors, fled the cultural center. The Civil Guard, with local police, has launched a search operation. Judicial police agents are investigating the circumstances and motive. The youth has a history of conflictive behavior and has previously brandished a knife at other minors.
The child played on the under-12 football team of Villanueva de La Cañada club and attended sixth grade at a local public school. The Villanueva de la Cañada town hall called for a minute of silence on Friday at noon and suspended all municipal events. "We reiterate our support to the family of the deceased minor and appeal to the responsibility and calm of all citizens," the council stated in a release.
El País reported the victim as 11 years old and pointed to a possible 22-year-old attacker with mental problems per witnesses, with no arrests so far.
