Mossos d’Esquadra arrested a Barcelona resident, Angela Dobrowolski, wife of the television producer Josep Maria Mainat, after she apparently caused a confrontation in a shared area of an apartment building in the Font de la Guatlla district, Sants-Montjuïc. Dobrowolski is suspected of involvement in the production, smuggling, and storage of weapons and explosives, as well as harassment, threats, and harm.
The arrest occurred on Wednesday afternoon, prompted by the events of the morning explosion. A caller to the 112 emergency line reported hearing a loud blast described as an explosion, originating from the fifth floor landing, with authorities noting the incident appeared to have earlier ties to the building in question. The Catalan police provided details on the incident the following day.
Uniformed Mossos d’Esquadra and City Guard officers reached the scene from Barcelona and inspected a container of water on the landing. They observed that the container contained a full five liters and that the landing area had been partially melted by the blast. A transparent liquid remained visible, along with likely small fragments and burned foil scattered across the landing. Investigators also detected a strong chemical odor in the vicinity. The scientific police and the specialized unit for explosive ordnance disposal attended the scene to collect baseline evidence, sample materials, and trace remains for analysis.
Dobrowolski’s disguise and identification
Interrogators reviewed statements and reviewed security camera footage from the building to determine who carried out the work linked to the incident. With the collected information and pictures from the property, authorities were able to identify Angela Dobrowolski as the person who allegedly carried out the operation in its entirety before attempting a rapid escape, as stated by the Catalan police.
The Mossos confirmed that the person under investigation had taken extensive steps to avoid identification. Investigators noted the individual wore a blue jumpsuit, a white helmet with two black stripes, and a scarf covering part of the face. A black backpack with gray pockets was also described as part of the disguise.
Neighbor concerns, shattered glass, and projectiles
Further inquiries revealed that Dobrowolski had previously harassed neighbors living in one of the flats on the same landing. Reports indicate she may have fired a BB gun at apartment windows, deployed a hazardous liquid that caused alarm among residents, and disturbed people near the entrance by breaking windows and scattering debris along the corridor.
During the arrest at the residence, officers conducted a preliminary search and documented clothing and accessories used to execute actions within the building. They recovered a short explosive launcher, a compressed air gun, chemical products, a bottle compatible with explosive materials, a laptop, a tablet, and a cell phone. The items were collected as potential evidence to support the ongoing investigation.
The individual was remanded and is expected to appear in court in the coming days.