In May 2022, attempts were made to shoot and kill a young man in the center of Xirivella, Valencia, from a moving vehicle. The assailants did not reach their target that night, and after a gathering of local authorities and witnesses, the newspaper was present to report the decision that the attackers faced exile from the municipality under local Gypsy law. While the father and son behind the shooting awaited the regular justice process, they again unleashed violence on Xirivella streets, this time at midnight, brutally attacking a 34-year-old man with mobility challenges outside a bar on Juan de Molina street.
“These are not humans, they are devils; they stabbed him and trampled him on the ground because they knew he was disabled,” lamented the sister of the injured man, whose condition remained grave in the hospital. He was rushed to Valencia General Hospital, where medical staff treated five stab wounds, one damaging his right lung. The victim’s wife described how he was kicked while defenseless on the ground, her voice trembling with the weight of the ordeal.
“These are not people, they are devils, they trampled him on the ground and they know he is disabled.”
“Blood will be shed for blood.” While one of David’s sisters clung to life in the hospital’s intensive care unit, relatives gathered at the hospital doors, demanding justice for what they called a murder by knife and force against a man who could not defend himself.
At the time the report was filed, the identities of the alleged attackers had not been confirmed. The suspects were identified as Julio DB, 44, and his son Luis Miguel DM, 25, a family sometimes referred to by the surname French. Both men were already facing trial for shooting a teenager on Rei En Jaume Street in Xirivella in May 2022. The current assault would be added to pending charges for murder or attempted murder as prosecutors prepared their case.
The same night, news arrived that the attackers’ home had been set ablaze. Ignacio Cabanés, who documented the events, noted the house burning as a sign of the volatile reactions rippling through the community.
Shortly after, another line of fire erupted at the home of the alleged attacker’s family on Monterrey Street in Xirivella. Police suspected the blaze signaled an immediate revenge attempt by those close to the victim, and authorities urged restraint to prevent further bloodshed.
Fire reveals a marijuana field
Neighbors reported seeing smoke and waking to the blaze, with one man describing that he and others were startled but unharmed. Firefighters quickly contained the flames, and investigators found a closed marijuana cultivation area nearby, consisting of approximately 200 plants being grown clandestinely on the premises.
In the wake of the incident, relatives of the stabbing sought to calm tensions and prevent further violence. They visited the crime scene that same night, then went to the hospital to assist with the ongoing medical crisis. They emphasized their desire to cooperate with law enforcement and to help ensure that justice takes its course without escalating the cycle of retaliation. Jose from Xirivella spoke for many locals when he said the goal was to prevent more bloodshed and to see due process carried out by the authorities.
The victim, who had previously endured a motorcycle accident the prior year, remained in intensive care for an extended period. The accident had left him with mobility challenges, and the new assault threatened his life as he fought for recovery in the same hospital that night.