Public safety incident
Details
Event title
Spain - 3 killed, 2 injured in shooting in southern Spain
Source
Severity
Low
Event date (UTC)
2026-08-18 07:32:17
Last update (UTC)
2026-08-18 07:32:17
Area range
Local event
Address/Affected area(s)
Isla Cristina, Costa Occidental de Huelva, Provincia de Huelva, Andalucía
A pregnant woman, her mother and a 16-year-old were killed when masked gunmen on a motorcycle opened fire on a group of people in a coastal tourist town in southern Spain, according to local officials and Spanish media.
The shooting happened at about 10 p.m. Sunday in Isla Cristina, a popular summer destination on Spain’s Atlantic coast. Two masked men arrived on a motorcycle, and one of them fired a long gun before they fled, according to El Mundo.
A 39-year-old woman who was eight months pregnant was among those shot. Her baby later died, along with the woman’s mother and the 16-year-old. Two other people were injured, including the pregnant woman’s son, who was seriously hurt.
Authorities are investigating the attack as a possible retaliation linked to longstanding personal disputes between families with ties to drug trafficking.
After the shooting, the suspects attempted to set fire to their vehicle in a nearby pine forest, El Español reported. People at a nearby campground and firefighters were able to put out the fire.
The Guardia Civil is investigating and working to identify the gunmen. Local authorities have called for calm after the attack, which happened near tourist areas crowded with summer visitors.