Police in Spain are hunting a man who is believed to be British over the fatal shooting of an Irishman in southern Spain in the early hours of this morning.
40-year-old John O’Neill from Coolock in Dublin was shot in the stomach after a row broke out at a bar in Benalmadena.
Reporter with La Opinion Newspaper Nicole Cacho says local people in the area raised the alarm.
“The neighbours called the police at around 3:20am in the morning after hearing 3 gunshots” she said.
“Doctors and ambulances went to the (scene) but doctors could not do anything to save his life”.
“Apparently the victim and the man started a fight in the bar; a few minutes later both of them left the pub and the gunshots were heard” she added.
Cacho also says it appears that the victim and the alleged shooter were staying in the same hotel.
“Benalmadena is one of the tourist hot-spots here in Malaga” she said.
“And they think it’s just a fight between room-mates”.
“Apparently the victim and the suspect were on vacations here in Malaga and they were staying in the same hotel – in the Sunset Beach Hotel here in Benalmadena” she added.
The father-of-2 is understood to have been holidaying in the resort with his girlfriend.
It is believed she was in the bar when he was shot outside.
The incident is not believed to be gang-related.
The Department of Foreign Affairs and the Irish Embassy in Madrid are in contact with Spanish officials about the investigation.
