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Crime Malaga police arrest man accused of putting victim in coma with 7cm bladeThe suspect was apprehended while allegedly attempting another robbery just three days after a brutal assault in the Guadalmar district
Málaga
Tuesday, 10 March 2026, 11:19
The National Police have arrested a suspect accused of leaving a 36-year-old man in a critical coma following a violent confrontation in Malaga.
The arrest took place on Monday, 9 March, after officers spotted a man matching the description of a "very tall and corpulent" assailant while he was allegedly trying to steal a mobile phone from a passenger on a bus.
The original incident occurred on Friday, 6 March, in the Guadalmar area when the victim caught the thief breaking into his car through a window. When the owner attempted to physically intervene, the thief responded with extreme violence, reportedly using brass knuckles to deliver a series of devastating blows.
At a glance: Key case details
Suspect: A man of Nigerian origin arrested 72 hours after the initial crime.
Victim: A 36-year-old car owner currently in an induced coma.
The Injury: A 7cm metal blade was surgically removed from the victim's cranium.
Weapons: Prosecution alleges the use of brass knuckles and a knife.
Current Status: A suspect is in custody; the victim remains in a critical condition.
A co-worker who was with the victim also sustained minor injuries during the struggle.
At the Hospital Regional, surgeons performed a high-risk operation to remove a seven-centimetre blade that had become embedded in the victim’s skull during the attack.
Doctors have described the injuries as life-threatening, and the man remains on a ventilator in a guarded condition. Although the victim has been unable to provide a statement, the police were able to link the suspect to the crime through a detailed eyewitness account provided shortly after the Friday assault.