The intentional run over of six people in the parking lot of the health center of Haro, in La Rioja, left one dead on Monday night and keeps this town of 11,500 inhabitants dismayed. The perpetrator of the terrible outrage, a 26-year-old boy from Biscay, has already been arrested, although the investigation continues as to what his motivation might have been. Official sources have confirmed that the detainee went to this center, accompanied by his parents, to receive treatment, so the hypothesis is being considered that the tragic event responds to a mental health problem of the alleged perpetrator.
The person who died as a result of the brutal attack is Manuel Montoya, a 32-year-old health worker from Santurde de Rioja. The young man worked as a Health Emergency technician at the Haro health center. As for the other five injured, three of them medical personnel, there is no fear for the lives of any of them, although his condition is of varying severity.
The youngest of the injured is a 37-year-old emergency doctor who is in the short-stay unit and who has suffered trauma to his hand and knee. Another of the injured toilets is a 38-year-old man, an Emergency technician, who suffered multiple fractures and who will undergo surgery for his various fractures in the coming days.
Likewise, a 62-year-old Emergency nurse is in the ICU, who has a major trauma, although she is stable. The other two injured, unrelated to the medical field, are also in the ICU due to fractures of varying severity.
The events occurred after 10:15 p.m. on Monday. At that time, an SUV driven by the detainee burst into the parking lot of the health center at high speed. "He entered with great speed and intentionally ran over these six people who were in a group," Miguel Ángel Sáez, spokesman for the Civil Guard, explained yesterday. The young man, apparently, was shouting slogans against the Government while he was driving recklessly.
The detainee, a native of the Basque town of Basauri, spent the summer in the town of Haro with his family and, accompanied by his parents, went to the health center to receive medical treatment for problems related to mental health. Investigation sources point out that his behavior could be due to a psychotic outbreak with fatal consequences.
The author of the outrage was arrested shortly after the events and transferred to the local police cell in Haro. The suspect has no criminal record. Official sources confirmed that he will be charged with a crime of homicide and another five in the degree of attempt.
After the events, a large emergency unit was set up, with more than 100 health workers and 5 mobile ICUs, who worked throughout the night, and psychological support was offered to the health workers.
The news has caused a great impact in this town of La Rioja, the most important in the northwest of the community and the fourth largest municipality in Rioja in population. The Government of La Rioja has declared two days of official mourning for this event, and the president of the community, Gonzalo Capellán, pointed out yesterday that "it is a very hard day for La Rioja and for all the people of La Rioja". "We want to express all our pain and our closeness to the families of the victims of this event and our condolences to the family of the deceased," he said. After visiting the wounded at the San Pedro de Logroño hospital, he added that "fortunately they are stable and out of danger."
Meanwhile, the mayoress of Haro, Guadalupe Fernández Prado, thanked the "spectacular work" that the La Riojan health workers from the local health center did on Monday night, who "maintained the type in a moment of chaos" after the multiple hit-and-run
