Man shot dead on Barcelona street as papal visit approaches

A man was shot and killed in broad daylight on a central Barcelona street on Wednesday morning, an incident that occurred amid heightened security ahead of a scheduled papal visit later in the day. The fatal shooting took place at approximately 10 a.m. local time on Carrer de Balmes, directly in front of a National Police office that issues identification cards and passports.

According to authorities, the victim died from a gunshot wound to the head. The assailant fled the scene immediately following the shooting. The Catalan police force, the Mossos d'Esquadra, along with agents from the Criminal Investigation Division, have taken charge of the investigation. Officials reported that they have obtained images of a suspect and that a firearm was recovered from the scene. A law enforcement operation is now underway to locate the gunman.

The shooting comes as Barcelona was already on a heightened state of alert in preparation for an evening visit from Pope Leo XIV. It also follows another fatal shooting in the city just days earlier. On the evening of Sunday, June 7, a man was shot dead in the Zona Franca industrial area. Police are investigating that case as a revenge execution...