Barcelona has experienced four stabbings in 24 hours, with two of the victims dying during the attacks. Viral video of some of the incidents has spread throughout social media and fueled the debate around insecurity and mass immigration due to the role of foreigners in at least two of the incidents.
Woman stabbed to death by North African
The first shocking death occurred on May 2 at the Esplugues de Llobregat where a North African man was arrested on suspicion of having killed an Asian woman with a “large knife” on Joan Miró Street, located near the Sant Joan de Déu Hospital. During the attack, a 59-year-old man was also stabbed by the North African attacker after the elderly man intervened, including by throwing rocks at the attacker, although the older man survived his injuries.
🇪🇸🔴JUST IN: This man stabbed an Asian teenage girl to death today in Barcelona, Spain.
The young woman was stabbed mainly in the thorax and neck in the random attack. She suffered massive blood loss and died on the spot.
A 58-year-old man was also stabbed during the incident… pic.twitter.com/6mS3wfxE6V
— Remix News & Views (@RMXnews) May 2, 2026There are suspicions that the attack may have an Islamist motive, since the attacker was screaming “Allahu Akbar,” but so far police reports indicate that the attacker is being treated for psychiatric evaluation. The investigation is ongoing and according to El Caso news outlet, the details of the investigation are tightly sealed.
North African stabbed to death by robbery victim
The second fatal knife attack saw the arrest of a minor by the Mossos d’Esquadra for the stabbing death of a man in the Raval neighborhood. This incident occurred just hours after the death of a woman in Esplugues de Llobregat, while authorities also investigate another stabbing at the Forum that left a minor injured.
🇪🇸🔴A North African was stabbed to death after he allegedly tried to rob a group of youths in Barcelona, Spain, over the weekend.
A group of 5 North Africans targeted a group of teens in Sant Antoni district outside a bar. However, the teens fought back and chased down one of… https://t.co/MBoAMGymCh pic.twitter.com/w5w5FogGD2
— Remix News & Views (@RMXnews) May 4, 2026The Catalan police received a report at 11:55 p.m. regarding an incident on Wax Street in the Raval neighborhood where a man had been seriously injured.
Medical Emergency System (SEM) workers treated the man at the scene and transported him in critical condition to a hospital, where he finally died. Reports indicate that the man was a part of a North African gang who targeted a group of people with robbery, according to El Caso. The group fought back and chased one of the North Africans, catching him, and stabbing him to death.
The Mossos d’Esquadra stated that the alleged perpetrator was later located and arrested by agents of the Urban Guard. The Criminal Investigation Division (DIC) is currently leading an investigation that remains under judicial secrecy.
Various stabbing attacks
According to Spanish newspaper El Debate, on Friday evening into Saturday, a fight between two groups of people in L’Hospitalet de Llobregat with knives left two injured, one of them seriously. The fourth stabbing occurred in the Forum area of Barcelona, where a minor was attacked at the exit of the April Fair by a group of people armed with knives. The Spanish police are investigating.
Shooting
On Monday, at 6:30 a.m., there was at shooting in L’Hospitalet, at the intersection of Rambla Catalana and Santiago Apóstol street. It was, according to El Caso, at the exit of a bar: at least five shots were heard in the middle of the street, although there were no injuries.
The perpetrators of the shooting took refuge in the aforementioned establishment, which led to a deployment of the Mossos, including ARRO troops, to get everyone out onto the streets. There are no arrests at the moment, and the investigation remains open.
On Friday night, although not involving a knife, a shooting was recorded in which a man was seriously injured, adding to the sense of insecurity felt throughout the weekend, as reported by El Debate.
