Torrejón de Ardoz Local Police Officers to Stand Trial for Homicide

• Two police officers, one off-duty and one retired, will face a jury trial for the 2025 death of Abderrahim Akkouh in Torrejón de Ardoz, Madrid.
• The Madrid City Council has been named as a potential subsidiary civilly liable party for the incident.
• The victim died of mechanical asphyxia following a prolonged immobilization involving chest compression and a neck restraint.

Legal Developments

• Judge Marta Gala García of Instruction Court number 4 confirmed the homicide investigation for both officers, rejecting the Prosecutor's request to charge only the officer who restrained the victim's neck.
• The family's legal representative, Rubén Vaquero, is advocating for the charges to be upgraded to murder.
• The court's decision to include the Madrid City Council as a subsidiary responsible party is based on Article 121 of the Penal Code regarding damages caused by public officials in the line of duty.

Background and Context

• The incident occurred on June 17, 2025, after the off-duty officer alleged that Akkouh attempted to steal his mobile phone.
• Despite warnings from bystanders to release the victim, both officers maintained the immobilization for several minutes.
• The autopsy report identified mechanical asphyxia as the primary cause of death, noting contributory factors including pre-existing heart conditions and recent drug consumption.
• Video evidence captured the off-duty officer verbally threatening the victim during the restraint.