On 6 January 2016, at 15:45, there was robbery at a CTT office at Rua do Rosario Street, Maia, Ribeira Grande municipality in the Autonomous Region of the Azores. The theft was committed by a Caucasian man age 54 years who threatened staff with two knives.

For the local police were immediately deployed by means of Regional Command PSP Azores, who arrived at the scene before the suspect could flee.

At the time of interception police, the suspect brandished the knives towards the police officers and struck a blow against a police officer, causing him a cut on the face.

However, the suspect continued to resist arrest and as the use of less-lethal police equipment proved inadequate to stop the attacks with bladed weapons, the police were forced to use firearms against person, to ensure their own safety and make the arrest.

Three shots were fired, the first, which also proved ineffective, and the two subsequent shots which hit the offender in the legs, thus causing least possible injury.

The injured person, plus the injured police officer was taken by the local emergency services to hospital for treatment.

Those injured are out of danger and the stolen items were fully recovered and returned to the CTT.

The detainee will be presented to the competent judicial authority and the use of the firearm will be evaluated by the National PSP Inspectorate (as in all open fire cases), given the regulatory framework on the use Force in the PSP.

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