A 47-year-old Turkish man was shot in the face at close range Tuesday night while dining on a restaurant terrace in one of Malaga’s busiest tourist areas, police reported. The victim survived and was hospitalized with severe injuries, while the gunmen fled and remained on the run Wednesday morning.
The shooting occurred about 10:35 p.m. at Lounge Bar La Plaza on Muelle Uno, the waterfront dining and shopping promenade at the city’s port. The man was seated at an outdoor table with another man and two women when one or two attackers approached, according to witness accounts given to local media. One suspect placed a handgun against the victim’s head and fired at point-blank range, shooting the victim twice.
A video and photos of the aftermath of the shooting have been published on social media networks.
A video of the aftermath of the shooting has also been released. pic.twitter.com/hJqbX1Mrxw
— Remix News & Views (@RMXnews) September 23, 2026The anti-immigration Vox party also wrote about the incident on X: “Málaga is being taken over by violence. Last night, a new shooting at Muelle Uno caused panic among the citizens. Not even the death of an innocent young man a few days ago in Barcenillas is enough for urgent measures to be taken. How much longer will the people of Málaga have to live with these situations?”
Emergency crews treated him at the scene before rushing him to the regional university hospital. Sources described his facial injuries as severe and called his survival “a miracle.” Health officials said Wednesday that his condition was stable after surgery.
While there have been numerous social media reports that the shooter was South American, this has not been confirmed by police or media reports. Accounts also varied as to whether one or two shooters opened fire.
Diners initially mistook the gunshots for fireworks. Panic followed as customers fled the packed terrace. Police from the National Police and Local Police quickly sealed the area, collected evidence and launched a helicopter search.
Some local reports said the wounded man has a criminal record and that the attack appeared targeted. Spanish police are treating the case as a possible contract killing or settling of scores, according to Spanish media citing unnamed sources.
The restaurant sits in a popular tourist area in Centro Pompidou. Families and tourists were among those present.
The shooting was the second in Malaga city in five days. On Friday, a 20-year-old local construction worker known as Nacho was shot dead in broad daylight in the Barcenillas neighborhood. Police arrested three Swedish nationals, who they believe mistook the young man for a rival gang’s hitman. Those suspects were ordered held without bail. Authorities have also linked a recent cluster of firearms attacks on the Costa del Sol to organized crime.
