A young man shot dead by police at Gran Canaria Airport on Saturday evening “posed an imminent threat to officers and to the public”, according to an initial probe into the incident.
The 18-year-old, who is believed to be originally from Gambia in West Africa, attacked a taxi driver with a large knife and then ran amok in the terminal building, sparking panic among passengers in the busy airport at just before 5pm.
Armed police rushed to the scene after receiving reports that the man, described as “out of control” by witnesses, was brandishing the knife as he made his way through the terminal, threatening users. A prolonged chase saw officers pursue him through various parts of the airport, including check-in areas, before he exited towards the nearby bus bays, where many passengers were queuing.
Police eventually caught up with him and CCTV footage shows him wrestling one officer to the ground and lunging at another with the knife close to the bus stop in full view of panicked witnesses, who say other officers drew their guns and five shots were fired, one of which killed the attacker.
Media reports today indicate the young African had serious mental health issues and was already known to the authorities after coming to their attention for walking in the middle of the motorway recently.
The taxi driver who was attacked reported that the man had asked to be taken to Las Palmas but became angry when the driver refused to switch off the vehicle’s CCTV. He punched the driver before producing a knife from his backpack and threatening him with it.
Photo credit: La Sexta Noticias
