Incidents of violence unfolding in pedestrian zones during late nights have involved young people and have repeated across weekends in the city center. In recent months, several grave episodes have been reported. The latest event occurred in the Montero Ríos area, early on a Friday into Saturday, when a 15-year-old was arrested in connection with an alleged assault that left a 17-year-old seriously injured and in intensive care at Álvaro Cunqueiro Hospital. The victim, who reportedly encountered trouble near a stairwell, remained in the ICU on Saturday with limited information released about his prognosis.
Authorities from the National Police indicated they led the investigation after making the arrest. Internal reports from the Vigo police station note that the incidents happened around 1:30 am on a central Vigo street when two youths crossed paths and appeared ready for a confrontation. It was not established whether the individuals knew one another. The 15-year-old suspect struck the other teen in the face, causing him to fall and sustain serious injuries that required transfer to a local health facility. Because the person accused of the crime is a minor, the case is being handled by the Juvenile Prosecutor’s Office.
On the same morning, Local Police personnel intervened in another violent clash in Praza da Estrela, which involved a bottle and escalating tensions. These confrontations were part of a larger pattern of street violence in the area. The latest official crime statistics from the Ministry of Interior show a notable increase in assaults and fights in 2021 after the easing of lockdown restrictions, with violent incidents rising by a substantial margin. The trend places injury-related offenses among the most frequent crimes observed in the city.
In addition to the weekend incident that required hospitalization for a young person, several other serious cases have been documented in recent months. Among them is an assault on two youths on Hernán Cortés Street near María Berdales. Forensic proceedings followed, with two players from Ourense reportedly involved in the incident; one was imprisoned but later released on parole, after the court determined the injuries did not threaten the most seriously injured party’s life. The decision was maintained after an appeal. The case is currently awaiting a forensic report to assess recovery time and potential long-term consequences of the injuries.
Forensic case awaiting January beating report
A widely reported event this year involved the beating of two teenagers on Hernán Cortés Street in January. The Vigo 8th Investigation Court has opened an inquiry into two Ourense football players suspected of the assault, with footage captured by a neighbor on a mobile device. The principal defendant was arrested and initially placed in custody, but subsequently released when a judge ruled that the injuries did not put the victim’s life at immediate risk. The order was sustained after further charges were appealed. The case now awaits the forensic findings on the recovery timeline and the possible long-term effects of the injuries.