A NEW shooting in Marbella has triggered a political row after gunfire was reported in the Las Albarizas area in broad daylight.
Police were called shortly after 1.00pm yesterday to reports of a fight at the junction of Calle Jose Iturbi and Calle Alfredo Palma.
Witnesses said an argument outside a bar escalated before up to three shots were fired.
The gunman, who is believed to have been inside a car, failed to hit anyone and drove off immediately.
Officers from Policia Nacional and Policia Local searched the area but were unable to find the suspect.
The incident has reignited concerns about street violence in Marbella, with members of the local VOX party accusing both the town hall and the national government of failing to stop a pattern of gun-related incidents linked to organised crime in the Costa del Sol resort.
VOX’s local spokesman, Eugenio Molto, said the latest shooting ‘shows again that Marbella wakes up day after day to news of gunshots, murders and drug trafficking’.
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He argued that neither the governing Partido Popular nor the opposition Socialist Party has seriously tried to tackle the issue given the seriousness of it in a city of Marbella’s size and profile.
Molto said the party has warned for years that security is deteriorating, adding that residents ‘cannot normalise hearing gunfire in the street or watching organised crime operate openly’.
He said VOX has repeatedly called for more officers, more police resources and a coordinated strategy to deal with gang activity on the Costa del Sol.
READ MORE: New shooting in Marbella as Costa del Sol is rocked by wave of violence amid mafia crackdowns
Molto insisted the party will continue to push for action, saying: “We want people in Marbella to recover their right to live without fear.
“The city cannot stand constant gunfights day after day, and we expect action and results now.”
Police have not yet confirmed whether the shooting is linked to any previous disputes or criminal groups operating in the region.
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