Three policemen were injured in Madrid after one officer requested a Nigerian man in his forties to produce identification papers.
Upon being stopped, the Nigerian man produced a machete and, having relieved one of the officers of his regulation firearm, tried to get away. He later came upon another police patrol and fired the stolen gun at two officers.
The suspect was finally detained but, during a scuffle with police, cut his finger and had to be taken to hospital for treatment.
Three officers were injured during attempt to identify the man who, it later turned out, has a record of violent behaviour towards the authorities.
One policeman, aged 22 years, is in a serious condition in the Hospital Gregorio Marañón with wounds to the head, shoulder and shoulder blade. Another, aged 32 years is in the Hospital La Paz suffering from a head wound and stab wounds to the chest and the third policeman, aged 29 years, is in the Hospital 12 de Octubre suffering from a head wound.