Irishman arrested over shooting at popular Marbella restaurant

Natalia Penza

Spanish police have arrested an Irish national and a British man over a shooting incident at a popular Marbella restaurant last month.

A gunman was seen firing several bullets into the window of the popular restaurant La Sala, near the upmarket port of Puerto Banus, before escaping on a motorbike with an accomplice. No-one was injured in the drama.

Confirming the arrests, hours after a separate shooting nearby in which a 21-year-old man was injured, a spokesman for Spain’s National Police said: “National Police officers have arrested two men as the suspected authors of a shooting in broad daylight in which a restaurant was targeted.

“The suspects used a motorbike and one of them got off and fired at least 15 shots into the windows, without fortunately hitting anyone.

“The two suspects are linked to organised crime.”

The spokesman added: “Four searches have taken place at residential properties in Marbella and Estepona and €31,190 in cash seized along with a large machete and a revolver."

Police say the motorbike used in the attack had false number plates, but they managed to trace it and arrested the suspects after working out the itinerary they had taken after speeding away from the scene and tracking down the home of one of the men.

The arrests took place on March 25th, but police have only just gone public with them. Both men have been remanded in prison pending an ongoing investigation after a court appearance.

The footage of the detentions showed heavily-armed officers surrounding two properties including a detached villa with a pool before going in to make the arrests and bringing out the suspects in handcuffs.

Detectives have not yet said why the attack on La Sala took place.

Visitors to restaurant popular with celebrities over the years have included the likes of Tyson Fury, Anthony Joshua, Erling Harland, Jurgen Klopp, and Harry Maguire. The venue’s shareholders include former Premier League star David Bentley, who was once branded the next ‘David Beckham’.

On Tuesday morning police said a 21-year-old man had been rushed to hospital after being injured in a new shooting nearby, the fifth in just over a month in the area including La Sala one.

He was shot in the knee and genital area in the latest incident just after midnight on a residential estate called Los Naranjos a short drive from the tourist hotspot of Puerto Banus.

A car the gunman is believed to have shot him from fled the scene moments before the first police officers arrived.

The victim, who was taken to Marbella’s Costa del Sol Hospital, was found in another vehicle. His nationality has not yet been disclosed. Locals who dialled 999 reported hearing three or four shots.

Detectives confirmed the incident this morning, with a spokesman for the National Police in Malaga saying: “Officers are investigating a new incident involving a firearm which occurred around 12.15am on the residential estate of Los Naranjos in the municipality of Marbella.

“Police found a 21-year-old man with gunshot wounds inside a vehicle.

“He had two gunshot wounds, one in his knee and another in his pelvic area.

"He has been taken to a hospital in the area.”