Manhunt for 11-year-old boy killed while playing football

Spanish police are searching for a man suspected of killing an 11-year-old boy with a sharp object on a soccer field, local media reported.

The victim was reportedly playing with other children when she was attacked by a person wearing a hood.

The attack occurred on Sunday morning in Mocejón, near the city of Toledo in central Spain.

The suspect, reported as a young man of about 18 years old, then fled the scene. A major manhunt is underway.

Broadcaster RTVE said government sources confirmed the attack occurred around 10 a.m. local time. It said a dozen patrols were searching for the suspect and a helicopter had joined the search.

Mocejón, a town of about 5,000 inhabitants, is set to declare three days of national mourning, according to Spanish media reports.

Milagros Tolon, representative of the Spanish government in the Castile-La Mancha region, wrote on X: “It is with great sadness that I learn of the murder of a minor in #Mocejón (Toledo) after being attacked with a sharp object.

“The Guardia Civil has launched a large-scale operation to arrest the culprit.

“All my love to the family and friends of the deceased, as well as to the people of Mocejón.”

Emiliano Garcia-Page, president of the Castile-La Mancha region, said he was shocked by the events in Mocejón and hoped the culprit would be found soon.

“These situations are unacceptable and must lead to appropriate punishment.”