A man from the UK was targeted in a failed assassination in a Spanish parking lot, with the incident marking the first public identification of the victim. Sonny Redmond, 32, narrowly survived the attack when a gunman unleashed a barrage of bullets at his car on December 11 in Costa Blanca. Redmond sustained gunshot wounds to his arm, leg, and chest before seeking help from a neighbor as the assailant fled the scene. The shooting occurred at around 10 pm in an underground parking area in Orihuela Costa, located north of Torrevieja in a neighborhood known as Lomas de Cabo Roig.
Images shared on social media and in Spanish media show the car’s front windshield riddled with bullet holes. The victim was swiftly taken to a nearby hospital for urgent surgery and was reported to be in critical condition in the intensive care unit.
The British man, identified as Redmond, hails from Merseyside and was one of two individuals arrested in connection with an armed robbery at a cannabis club in the past year. Redmond was reportedly granted bail in November, about seven months following his initial arrest and detention. Although the duration of his stay in southern Spain remains unclear, it is known that he originally comes from the Bootle region of Merseyside. In the mid-2010s, a court in Merseyside issued a gang injunction against him due to suspected involvement in organized criminal activities in south Sefton.
Redmond previously featured on a wanted list by Merseyside Police for breaching the injunction and failing to appear in court on alleged drug-related charges. Others on the said list were linked to serious criminal activities, such as murder and drug trafficking. Redmond and another individual were implicated in an armed robbery at a cannabis club in San Fulgencio, where they allegedly brandished firearms and stole cash and products worth €5,000.
The victim reportedly demanded a ransom and future earnings, threatening the club owner and family members. Despite trying to evade authorities by changing his identity, he was eventually apprehended after a confrontation where he reportedly held an elderly couple hostage.
The shooting of Redmond is believed to be tied to the killing of a 29-year-old British man whose body was discovered at a housing development in the Campoamor area of Alicante. According to reports, the victim’s body was found with multiple gunshot wounds on December 21, but Spanish authorities did not confirm the investigation until after Christmas. Sources suggest that the shootings are connected to organized drug gangs from Britain and Ireland operating in the Vega Baja region of Alicante.
The Guardia Civil’s Judicial Police in Alicante are leading the investigation into the fatal shooting. A police spokesperson mentioned that the Orihuela Court of Instruction has sealed the case, enforcing a media blackout on official information. It is common practice for Spanish authorities to withhold details from the press during ongoing investigations.
The recent shootings in December are part of a series of firearm-related incidents this year, suspected to be linked to criminal activities associated with Merseyside. Notably, Steven Gray, 32, from Bootle, was shot in Calahonda, a popular British holiday destination in Spain, on Easter Monday. Additionally, Scottish criminals Eddie Lyons Jnr and Ross Monaghan were shot in Fuengirola while watching a football game on May 31. Michael Terrence Riley, 44, originally from Bootle, has been extradited from the UK to stand trial for their murders.
Southern Spain, often referred to as the “Costa del Crime,” remains a hotspot for organized crime syndicates from Britain and Ireland, who clash with cartels from South America and Eastern Europe for control of the region. This area has historically attracted criminal elements due to lenient extradition laws, leading to a complex web of criminal activities in the region.
