A homeless man has died in a Spanish hospital after participating in a fight, which authorities are investigating as a homicide. The incident is believed to be linked to a new trend where gangs allegedly offer drugs and money to addicts to engage in fights for public viewing.
The victim was declared brain-dead following a fight on Saturday in Granada, according to local news outlet Ideal. National Police are analyzing footage of the altercation.
One video circulating shows the victim bare-chested, exchanging punches with another man in front of more than a dozen onlookers. The victim collapses after a series of blows and appears disoriented, unable to stand. Spectators are heard cheering, with no one intervening. The second participant in the fight, also homeless, has been arrested and charged with reckless homicide.
Police suspect organizers recruit drug addicts, many of whom are homeless, to fight in public spaces. Participants are reportedly offered narcotics or approximately 20 euros for their involvement. Investigators believe these violent encounters have become a regular occurrence over the past month in various neighborhoods in northern Granada.
This case follows a separate incident in France where a police officer faced an investigation after a video emerged of him throwing a homeless man to the ground, leading to the man's death weeks later. Authorities initially denied a causal link between the officer's action and the death, citing a likely toxic cause, but an investigation into intentional use of violence was launched after public outcry over the footage. The victim in the French case was identified as Youssef E., who had a history of substance abuse.