Spain records two gender‑based murders in public spaces within 24 hours

Laura Cruz, a 33‑year‑old Guardia Civil officer, was shot dead inside the Llanes barracks in Asturias on Wednesday. The perpetrator, 49‑year‑old Dámaso Fernández, an ex‑partner and fellow Guardia Civil member, travelled about 300 km from Zamora, stole a weapon from a colleague and opened fire in the office where Cruz worked. He was killed by other officers on the scene.

A few hours later, a second gender‑based killing occurred in the Carrefour Infante shopping centre in Murcia, where a man shot his former partner in a shoe store. Both victims left young children and the incidents raised the total number of gender‑based murders in Spain this year to 36.

The cases, which took place in public settings rather than homes, prompted the Ministry of Equality to highlight the moral nature of such violence. Former government delegate on gender violence Miguel Lorente said, “Violence of gender is a moral crime, not instrumental; it is meant to assert power and control.” The murders have reignited calls to review protective measures for women, including the VioGén risk‑assessment system used by the police.