Published: Less than 20 min ago
A man paralyzed in connection with a shooting in Spain where he himself was charged with attempted murder after shooting four people has been helped to end his life.
This is announced by his lawyer after a judge granted him euthanasia before the trial could start.
The 46-year-old man was a Romanian citizen and was working as a security guard when he opened fire last December, wounding three colleagues and a police officer in the northeastern city of Tarragona. In connection with the shooting, he himself was shot in the spine.
The man stated after the incident that his job was “hell” and accused his bosses of racism.
As a result of being sentenced for life, the man applied to end his life, which was approved by a judge earlier this summer.
The four crime victims protested the decision through their legal representatives because they wanted to be compensated for their injuries.
Lawyer José Antonio Bitos, who represents two of those injured in the shooting, says his clients are “frustrated”.
– We have never opposed euthanasia itself, but rather that it should take place before the trial.
Spain legalized active euthanasia last June, becoming the fourth EU country to allow it, along with the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg.
Since its introduction, around 180 people have ended their lives, according to official figures.