Police in Valencia intervened to avert a potential tragedy in the Patraix neighborhood last week. A 22-year-old man of Tunisian descent reportedly carried out a violent attack inside the home he shared with his wife, injuring her with a knife and punches, and threatening to detonate two butane cylinders. The assailant subsequently escaped through a window and was later apprehended in Zaragoza after attempting to steal a moped.
The incident unfolded around four in the afternoon on February 23, when officers from the 091 emergency line were dispatched to a residence in Patraix. A tense dispute between the couple had escalated, prompting neighbors to call for help.
Upon arrival, the officers detected a strong gas odor and heard a woman inside crying out for assistance. Faced with an uncooperative entry, they decided to force open the door to ensure the victim’s safety. Inside, they found a man restraining a woman, whose face and neck showed cuts and bruises. The suspect held the victim close to two gas cylinders, one of which had an open valve and a hose that appeared damaged. Separately, the aggressor grabbed a lighter and repeatedly attempted to ignite it, achieving only a spark on several tries.
The officers commanded the man to drop the lighter, but he ignored them. They tackled him, wrested the lighter away, closed the gas cylinders, and shielded the victim from further harm, as police officials described in a formal statement. A knife lay nearby in the hallway, witnesses noted. In the ensuing chaos, the suspect managed to flee by jumping from the building and sliding down wiring, evading capture for the moment. Despite subsequent searches across the area, police did not immediately locate him.
check your cell phone
Interviews with the victim later revealed a troubling sequence of events. The assailant had demanded that the wife show him her phone, and, after recruiting a friend to pose as a trusted confidant, indicated he would harm her if she refused. When she resisted, he brandished a kitchen knife and struck her multiple times, followed by several blows. He then opened the two kitchen canisters, cut the hose, and stationed the cylinders in the hallway, preventing her from turning them off or opening a window. A lighter was also taken, with attempts to ignite it documented by police sources.
Emergency responders examined the victim and observed multiple injuries, including a deep cut on the neck, a painful blow to the chin, a severe strike to the face, a wound to the temple, and another to the ear. The injuries necessitated hospital treatment, and investigators conducted a preliminary examination at the scene to gather evidence and documentation.
The suspect was finally arrested in Zaragoza the following Friday after a separate incident in which he allegedly attempted a violent robbery of a moped. He faces charges of ill-treatment and attempted murder within a domestic environment, violence resulting in injuries, as well as robbery. A restraining order for the victim was issued by the presiding judge, providing protection until further notice.