A young man who was found dead on Monday morning at a luxury villa on Spain's Costa del Sol was not Belgian, contrary to reports by Spanish media.
A 34-year-old man was found dead by police and emergency service on Monday morning in a villa in the town of El Paraíso, an estate with many luxury houses located in Estepona near Marbella. Several local Spanish media reported that he was of Belgian nationality, but this has since been denied by Belgium's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
"We are aware of the fatality in Estepona, Spain, and we can confirm that the victim is not Belgian," the Ministry's spokesperson told The Brussels Times.
The Brussels Times contacted the Spanish National Police for more information about the identity of the victim, but has so far not received a response.
'Rave' villa
Emergency services received a call at 09:00 from someone who had heard "gunshots" near the villa. However, the man had already died by the time they arrived at the scene.
The victim was reportedly shot in the back. Two other people were attended to at the scene but did not need hospital treatment. Police have launched an investigation into the matter.
Local media including Málaga Hoy reported that it was evident a party had taken place at the villa prior to the incident, as there was a large quantity of beer bottles on the premises. Residents commented that every weekend dozens of people gather at the house for after-parties, usually at dawn when local nightlife establishments close.
For now, no suspect has been arrested. Spain's national police are investigating the circumstances of the crime and the suspect(s).
A previous version of this article incorrectly stated that the victim was of Belgian nationality. The article was updated on Wednesday 14 August at 17:00.
