Reports this afternoon say that PJ police have already run-to-ground the three suspects in the killing of an American tourist in Cascais, in the early hours of this morning.
According to Correio da Manhã – which early on suggested the victim and the other man injured were ‘engaged to be married’ – “the arrests have not yet been formalised”.
“Authorities have ruled out the scenario of a mugging, as first indicated, as well as the theory of a hate crime”, says the paper.
Inspectors have managed to talk to the surviving victim, who explained that he was walking back to the ‘alojamento local’ (holiday rental) the pair were sharing after a night out with his fiancé when he was approached by the three men, suddenly, “as a form of provocation”.
The men started trying to touch the young man’s hat, and when he asked them to stop, he was punched three times in the face.
At this point, the young man telephoned his fiancé – who was close by (in a bar) – who came out and “began a discussion” with the trio.
“One of the suspects” brought out a knife, says CM – and started stabbing the faces, arms and backs of the victims.
The surviving victim is being treated for his injuries in Lisbon’s Santa Maria hospital. CM says he “will need surgery”.
