A man was arrested by the Guardia Civil and the Local Police of Arona in the south of Tenerife, for a case of gender-based violence after violating a restraining order and threatening to murder his ex-wife. After the case had a secrecy order, details have just been released about the incident on Friday 26th April in the illegally constructed neighbourhood of Lomo Negro, near El Fraile.
Prior to the incident, the victim, a 44-year-old woman, had gone to the main Guardia Civil station in Playa de Las Américas to report that she had received death threats from her ex-husband who is the father of her two children.
According to the police press release, the man, who is 41 years old and also Ecuadorian, had previously served a sentence for an incident of gender-based violence against the same woman. The victim reported that, despite the restraining order, he showed up near her home and threatened to kill her on more than one occasion.
After taking statements and carrying out the corresponding procedures, the agents classified the case as "Extreme Risk" and escorted the woman back to her home. Once in the Lomo Negro neighbourhood, and with the victim's house located, the officers decided to accompany her inside.
To their surprise, they found her ex-husband in the house with their two children, but instead of surrendering, the man set the three family dogs, of potentially dangerous breeds, against the officers. Taking advantage of the confusion, the man fled while the officers calmed the dogs and called for back-up.
Two Local Police patrols and another from the Guardia Civil arrived at the scene, and while some of the agents stayed near the victim's house, the others searched the area. Despite extensive searches in Lomo Negro, El Fraile, and Las Galletas, they could not find the man. However, due to his history with the victim, they continued to monitor the house.
Later that night the activation of an alarm in a nearby house meant all of the agents returned to the area, and a neighbour informed them that he had heard strange noises on his property, caused by someone walking on the roof of his house.
Lomo Negro is made up of small plots surrounded by high walls, so the police had to scale them to see what the neighbour heard. Three Guardia Civil and one Local Police officer climbed the walls and found the alleged aggressor hidden in a property near the victim's house.
The man was completely cornered and couldn’t escape, so his arrest was easy this time, as agents were able to open an access door to the property and remove him. Following this he was transported to the main police station in Playa de Las Américas, where he was incarcerated pending his appearance before the judge.
