Knifeman shot by police outside holiday hotspot airport after lunging at officer

A knifeman who tried to rob a taxi has been shot and killed by police after he lunged at an officer at a holiday hotspot.

Officers with Spain's National Police had shoot down the unnamed individual after he allegedly tried to rob a taxi driver at knifepount in the vicinity of Gran Canaria Airport, the Spanish island's main airport, at around 4.50pm. The suspect is believed to have pounced on the officers with the weapon, forcing them to repel the attack by force, with emergency services within the airport and from the Canary Islands Health Service immediately racing to the scene.

The Canary News reported that, according to accounts from the Jefatura Superior de Policía de Canarias and eyewitnesses, the man had approached a taxi driver outside the airport with a "large knife" and threatened him.

In response, the driver exited his car and ran into the terminal building shouting for help, with National Police called to the scene after emergency services were called. Despite ordering him to do so multiple times, the outlet adds, the man refused to drop his knife and proceeded to charge at the officers, lunging on one who slipped and fell during the altercation.

A colleague of the targeted officer then shot the knifeman multiple times, with medics later confirming he died at the scene despite their best efforts.

Another local publication La Provincia cited police sources stating security cameras at the major airport had recorded the incident, which took place in a well-travelled public area. Medics had attempted to revive the knifeman but it was later confirmed that he died on the scene, with National Police representatives remaining nearby following the incident.

The man's body remained on site for more than an hour as forensic and judicial teams documented the scene, with police set to review CCTV as part of a full investigation and judicial review.

The incident happened in front of shocked passengers, around 14 million of whom pass through Gran Canaria Airport (LPA) each year, several hundred thousand of whom are British. Foot traffic through the airport typically ramps up between spring and summer, during school holidays, with people often ferried to and from the airport via the ground-level zone where today's incident took place.

As part of the upcoming inquiry, investigators will use witness statements to determine whether police officers responding to the incident used appropriate force.

Members of the National Police, including agents of the Judicial Police, the Scientific Police Brigade and the Homicide Group, have also arrived at the scene as investigations begin.