A 59-year-old man has died after being hit by a stray bullet during a shooting in the Pla neighbourhood of Alicante. The incident happened shortly after 9pm on Wednesday at a building on Enrique Monsonís Domingo Street. Emergency crews attended quickly but were unable to save the victim, identified locally as Silvio, who was originally from Colombia.

National Police believe the fatal shot was fired during a dispute between criminals in the street. Witnesses reported hearing four to six gunshots and initially mistook them for fireworks. The bullet struck the victim while he was standing on a balcony and is believed to have passed through his neck, with entry and exit wounds from a single shot.

Residents said the victim staggered inside the flat saying he had been shot and was struggling to breathe. Neighbours attempted to stem the bleeding before police and paramedics arrived. Several bullet impacts were later found on nearby façades.

Around 300 metres away, a car with French registration plates was found burned out. Explosions were heard during the fire, raising concerns that ammunition may have been inside. Police have launched a full investigation and are working to identify and arrest those involved.