Spanish politician shot dead in apparent revenge attack in León

Isabel Carrasco Lorenzo, a politician from Spain’s conservative Popular Party (PP), was shot dead in broad daylight on Monday afternoon in the northern city of León, in an apparent revenge attack. Carrasco, who was 59, was killed on a footbridge shortly after leaving her house.

A sometimes controversial figure for her outspoken comments, Carrasco had been the head of the León Provincial Council since 2007, and had also been the leader of the Popular Party branch in the province since 2004.

The suspects in the murder investigation are a 55-year-old woman and her daughter, aged 35. Sources from the inquiry are yet to clarify which of the two is thought to have fired at Carrasco. After the shooting took place, the older woman fled the scene. A retired policeman was a witness to the killing, and later identified the alleged perpetrators. Minutes after the incident, the mother was detained by the authorities, shortly followed by the daughter.

The suspects in the murder investigation are a woman aged 55 and her daughter, aged 35

Interior Ministry sources later attributed the shooting to a case of “personal vengeance.” The 35-year-old woman stopped working at the León Provincial Council in 2011 when her temporary contract came to an end, according to sources from the investigation. Since then, according to the same sources, she worked there on a freelance basis.

Initial reports suggested that she was owed money from the Council. However, it was suggested on Monday by PP sources that she in fact owed her former employer €6,500, after a labor dispute was settled in favor of the council and the suspect was ordered to repay salaries she was paid but not due.

The two suspects, who refused to make a statement to officers on Monday, are the wife and daughter of the chief inspector of the police in the nearby town of Astorga. The weapon that was used in the shooting has still not been located, and is being searched for in the river over which the footbridge runs. According to sources from the Interior Ministry, the personal sidearm of the chief inspector was not used in the crime.

The weapon that was used in the shooting has still not been located, and is being searched for in a river 

The police investigation has so far concluded that the shots were fired at close range. Of the five shots, four hit the body of Carrasco, according to ministry sources.

While the preliminary theory suggests that the older suspect pulled the trigger, the central government’s delegate in the Castilla y León region, Ramiro Ruiz Medrano, announced on Monday night that the police investigation was yet to determine who fired the shots. “This is a dramatic event, with no explanation,” he added.

The younger detainee, Triana Martínez, who was a member of the León Popular Party, was included on the party’s slate for the municipal elections in Astorga in 2007, but was not elected as councilor. That same year she began working in the Provincial Council of León as a telecommunications engineer, assessing councils on matters related to high-speed internet and digital terrestrial television.

Carrasco’s party colleagues explained on Monday that the victim had not been threatened in any way

Carrasco’s party colleagues explained on Monday that the victim had not been threatened in any way. “She had no fear whatsoever, she was a very brave person,” explained Luis Aznar, PP senator for León. The central government delegate explained on Monday that the police had no record of reports from Carrasco of threats being made against her.

Carrasco had left her home just before 5pm, accompanied by her partner. Both were headed to the nearby Popular Party headquarters, but her partner decided to travel there by motor scooter in order to deal with some other matters in the city later.

When he arrived at the PP headquarters and realized that Carrasco was not there, he decided to go in search of her, soon arriving at the crime scene, where the authorities were already working.

Spain’s main political parties announced on Monday that they would be suspending their campaign activities ahead of the upcoming European elections.