Gun horror in Madrid as former head of Spain’s People’s Party is ambushed and shot in the face

The former head of Spain‘s People’s Party in the Catalonia region was shot in the face in Madrid on Thursday, police said.

Alejo Vidal-Quadras was shot on Nunez de Balboa street in the wealthy Salamanca area of central Madrid at about 1.30pm.

A Civil Protection spokesperson said Vidal-Quadras retained consciousness and was rushed to the nearby Gregorio Maranon hospital, while police are now hunting for two people who fled the scene on a motorbike, with the shooter wearing a black helmet.  

Vidal-Quadras, 78, was the head of the centre-right PP in Catalonia until 2014, when he left the group to join newly created party Vox.

Police have cordoned off the area where the shooting happened. No arrests have yet been made, police said.