Two die as former police officer opens fire

31 May 2004

MADRID – A shoot-out outside a Madrid bar Monday left two people dead, police said.

A retired police officer opened fire with a revolver on a group of young men outside a bar called Version Original, in the Prosperidad area of the capital.

One 27-year-old man was shot dead.

A passing police patrol opened fire and killed the former officer, who was named as 76-year-old Florencio Dimas Salina.

The other victim was named as Rodolfo Charabe Gallego, a former bouncer.

In less than ten minutes, eight bullets were fired.

According to witnesses, the shoot-out happened after the son of Salina had an argument with one of the other men in the group.

The son went to find his father and both returned to the scene of the argument.

The former police officer was armed with a large revolver.

The father and son and a woman, thought to be the mother, arrived in a jeep-like vehicle.

Silana got out of the car and started a “violent” argument with three of the men involved.

He then started to shoot.

At this point, the son was heard to cry: “Dad, shoot them! Dad, shoot them!”

Two ran off, but Charabe was shot and died from his injuries.

By chance, an unmarked police car was taking someone back to the area when they came across the shoot-out.

Two officers got out of the car and started to shoot in the air to try to stop Salina from firing any more shots.

But when he carried on, the police shot him twice.

He later died from his injuries.

The incident took place at about 4.30am Monday.

[Copyright EFE with Expatica]

Subject: Spanish news