Magistrate who shot thief during robbery performed resuscitation maneuvers on him

The Public Prosecutor who shot a thief in a jewelry store in Valença do Minho, during a robbery, is the subject of criminal and disciplinary investigations.

The magistrate was following a police surveillance operation to catch thieves in the act, as happened.

But Military Police agents and members of the Public Prosecutor’s Office (MP) were waiting for the criminals to act after the closure. But they still did this with the owners inside.

Four of the men in the group of five were eventually caught. What ran away was shot by magistrate who was following the operation as head of the investigation.

After the shooting, the magistrate “immediately initiated the necessary precautions to reverse the situation of cardiorespiratory arrest of the suspect, while waiting for the arrival of INEM [Instituto Nacional de Emergência Médica]”, reveals the Attorney General’s Office (PGR) in a statement.

The suspect is intensive care hospital from the Viana do Castelo Hospital.

Os four men detained they will be present at the first judicial interrogation to learn about the coercive measures to which they will be subject.

Group of five foreigners caught in the act

The PGR explains that the operation carried out on Thursday was carried out “as part of a criminal investigation taking place in the district of Braga” which led to the investigation of “a group of individuals“.

The suspects have “all foreign nationality” and traveled to Portugal, in particular to the North of the country, to “commit theft crimes, with a special focus on jewelry stores”, adds the PGR.

Authorities gathered information that the group was preparing to carry out a new robbery at a jewelry store in the city of .

A “device to control the group’s movements” was then assembled, explains the PGR. Thus, “some of the locations that presumably could be targeted” were subject to surveillance measures.

The group of thieves even ended up going to one of the monitored jewelry stores, “being followed by the investigation team and the magistrate” who shot the thief, points out the PGR.

“Contrary to usual”, the suspects “broke into the establishment during opening hours, carrying firearms and, immediately, violently attacked the owners“, the Prosecutor’s Office also notes.

Magistrate target of criminal and disciplinary investigations

The PGR has already opened an investigative process to assess “the disciplinary relevance” of the judge’s actions.

This investigation into whether it is justified to initiate disciplinary proceedings joins another PGR inquiry to determine “criminal responsibility” of the magistrate.

The disciplinary process falls under article 264, no. constitute a disciplinary infraction”.