It was a tense ordeal that stretched over more than three hours of negotiation and seven hours locked inside a home in Costa Calma, Fuerteventura, as authorities worked to prevent an arrest. The subject faced multiple family violence complaints and a nationwide warrant for search, detention, and appearance in a Melilla court. The Civil Guard secured the victim’s safety, yet the assailant managed to barricade himself inside the residence. By the following day, Morro Jable officers had yet to induce a change in behavior or to remove the handcuffs from the situation.
The events unfolded on June 20 when the Civil Guard at the Morro Jable station was dispatched to respond to a domestic violence incident in Costa Calma, part of the municipality of Pájara. Upon arrival, officers ensured the woman’s protection, initially moving her to official facilities and later to a safe location distant from the aggressor.
Efforts to detain the abusive individual were hampered by his decision to stay inside the home. Early the next morning, the agents returned and found the accused still inside the residence and engaged in violent behavior when confronted by law enforcement. He acted aggressively toward the officers, continuing to barricade himself inside the property, and threw objects and items from the terrace toward anyone nearby, including passersby and neighbors, displaying a blatant disregard for the safety of those around him.
From that moment on, the man barricaded himself in the home for approximately seven hours. During the siege, he recorded videos that were posted on social networks in which he threatened self-harm and warned that he would injure anyone attempting to approach the house. The footage left no doubt about the level of aggression and mental distress he exhibited, and it became clear that he had no intent to cooperate with investigators.
In response to the evolving risk, a trained negotiator from a dedicated unit in Fuerteventura was brought in to employ communication and persuasion techniques aimed at persuading the barricaded individual to abandon his plan. The situation looked increasingly dangerous given the elapsed time since the initial arrival and the self-harm threats the man, aged 34, was making.
The negotiator remained near the residence for three hours after establishing contact with the accused, using active listening, clear communication, and persuasive strategies to defuse the scenario and reduce tension. According to the Civil Guard, these skills helped calm the atmosphere and lessen the risk of harm, ultimately leading the man to reconsider his actions and refrain from self-injury.
After maintaining dialogue for three hours and with the clock nearing three in the afternoon, the man willingly exited the home. He received medical attention from a physician and was then detained.