Three dead, including gunman, in Spain shooting

A man suffering from psychological problems shot and killed a farmer and a policeman in Spain Wednesday before being shot dead by police, local authorities said.

The 50-year-old barricaded himself in his house in Argamasilla de Calatrava in the southern Castilla La Mancha region with a rifle with a telescopic sight and started shooting, a town councillor told media.

The man, who had "psychological problems", killed a farmer who was in the area and a policeman before being shot dead himself by police who arrived on the scene, the councillor added.

Spanish media reported that the shootings began after the man got into an argument with his 81-year-old father, who was injured.

Two other people were injured in the shooting -- a 49-year-old Guardia Civil policeman and another man, believed to be a local police officer, a spokesman for local emergency services said.

All three injured were taken to hospital, he added.

Violent crime, especially gun violence, is fairly rare in Spain.

The country of around 47 million people recorded 290 murders in 2021, a 12.4 percent drop from 2020, according to interior ministry figures.