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Man arrested for stabbing immigrants and uttering racist insults in Porto

Suspect, 26 years old, attacked two people in the same morning at different times.

A 26-year-old man was arrested by the Judicial Police (PJ), in the early hours of this Thursday, in Porto, on suspicion of having stabbed two foreigners in attacks motivated by racism.

The detainee is suspected of two crimes of attempted qualified homicide, two crimes of discrimination and incitement to hatred and violence and one crime of robbery, committed in the early hours of Tuesday.

The two stabbings occurred at different but successive times on the public highway.

The first attack took place in Campo 24 de Agosto when, after "randomly" approaching foreign citizens, with racist insults, the defendant "armed with a bladed weapon attacked the victims violently and seized some of their belongings", the PJ reported in a statement.

One of the targeted foreigners, a Moroccan national, ended up being shot in the chest and is hospitalized at São João Hospital.

Just 15 minutes after the stabbing, the detainee went to a gas station in São Roque da Lameira, where he again approached a foreign citizen, of Indian nationality, a TVDE driver.

This driver, who had gone to get a coffee, was insulted and attacked with punches and kicks. When he tried to flee towards his car, he was stabbed in the back by the suspect.

"After these actions, and in order to avoid his identification and arrest, the suspect changed his physical appearance and routines", added the PJ.

The suspect was arrested by the PJ less than 48 hours later.

The detainee will be brought before the judicial authority for the first judicial interrogation and application of coercive measures.