In Alicante, a security court released a 35-year-old homeless man who had been detained by the National Police. He faced accusations of assaulting and threatening a 12-year-old boy traveling with his mother and three-year-old sister on a TRAM trip. Police sources indicate that the detainee, who has a history of mental health issues, denied the charges during court testimony, where he was represented by attorney Jose Manuel Yepes Rodriguez. The man had not yet undergone a coroner’s assessment to determine his mood and health at the time of release. With no fixed address or mobile phone, questions will arise in future court proceedings when investigators need to contact the suspect, who is a Barcelona resident. His record includes prior allegations of forced robbery, property damage, and injuries.
The arrest of the homeless man, who was sought in connection with the late-September TRAM assault, occurred Tuesday afternoon. National Police patrols were conducting a routine crime-prevention check at the Puerta del Mar station. After speaking with a security guard, officers reviewed the earlier incident from early September and examined footage of the suspect, who is a regular TRAM user and had been identified in surveillance recordings.
One officer who reviewed the video noted the suspect’s prior appearances in police databases, which confirmed that he had been reported and was awaiting arrest. The patrol quickly resumed duty and, shortly after, spotted the suspect nearby. Officers moved in promptly, arresting him for a serious threat.
Following the arrest, the suspect appeared before the National Police on the same Tuesday afternoon. He confessed to the police that he was indeed the person who attacked his son and another passenger while they were traveling on the TRAM. The 12-year-old sustain minor facial injuries, and the boy’s mother reported that the attack damaged her mobile phone screen and the stroller used by her three-year-old daughter. The complainant estimated losses at around 1,200 Euros for the cart and the phone.
According to the mother’s report, the incident occurred shortly before eleven in the morning on the L4 line, traveling from Luceros to the Lucentum stop. The woman and her two children, aged 12 and 3, were preparing to alight when the homeless man approached and grabbed the 12-year-old by the neck, striking him in the face. The mother, impeded by her stroller and a wheelchair, initialed a distress call and attempted to shield her son, while others on board called for help.
The young boy faced blows, and another passenger intervened to defend the victims, bringing the assailant face-to-face with that bystander. In the course of the struggle, the assailant grabbed the younger child by the neck again and threatened, saying, “I’ll kill you.” The mother and another woman attempted to subdue the attacker by striking him with a bag, while the assailant defended himself. He ultimately disengaged after a woman repeatedly threatened to contact authorities.
The tram driver reported that he had called the police but did not intervene in the defense of the mother and her children. The mother later gave a statement alleging that security personnel were not present at the time and that the driver was reluctant to assist the victim, urging passengers to exit the vehicle until the police arrived. She also claimed the driver’s reaction amounted to an omission that prevented the arrival of medical assistance for the injured party.
The family has stated that they will pursue legal action against the railway and the security contractor involved. Since the incident, the 12-year-old and his sister have shown ongoing distress, with fears about using public transport and recurring nightmares reported by the three-year-old, highlighting the lasting impact of the attack on each family member.