National Police officers testified on Tuesday in the trial against Micael D.S.M., accused of fatally running over four people at a wedding in Torrejón de Ardoz three years ago, stating that they did not find any bullet casings at the scene, only several knives hidden under cars.
The officers all agreed that they found bladed weapons and money at the scene, the El Rancho restaurant, but did not see any evidence of gunshots, contradicting the accused’s version, known as El Portugués, and that of his nephews, who claim they had to flee the wedding after being shot at.
El Portugués on trial for fatally running over 4 guests at a wedding in Torrejón
«We found knives under the cars (…) It seems like when the police arrived, people started throwing things under the cars,» stated an officer from Torrejón police station when questioned by the prosecutor.
However, he mentioned that he did not find any bullet casings on the ground during his inspection.
Four counts of murder and nine of attempted murder
El Portugués faces a 226-year prison sentence requested by the prosecution for four counts of murder and nine of attempted murder, while four out of five accusations from the victims’ families are seeking life imprisonment with possibility of parole.
On the other hand, his lawyer is requesting acquittal citing the mitigating circumstances of insurmountable fear and state of necessity.
Accused’s wife in the Torrejón mass run-over case claims guests stabbed her husband
«I have no knowledge of a shootout,» stated another police officer in the Provincial Court, explaining that they arrived at the wedding after receiving a call about a brawl involving firearms, but found no evidence of this upon arrival, as they testified.
Additionally, the officers highlighted that the guests they spoke to also denied any gunshots and described a brawl that ended with the accused running over four guests to death and injuring nine.
«A massacre»
Describing the scene, the officers recounted what they saw as a «massacre» with people «screaming and yelling» in a state of «maximum» nervousness: «We saw a lot of people lying on the ground», they affirmed.
Victims of the Torrejón wedding run-over: «It felt like a terrorist attack»
One of them even likened it to a terrorist attack: «It reminded me a lot of the images from the Barcelona attack,» he noted in response to a question from one of the private prosecution lawyers.