The man caught on video stabbing another at the Algarve Forum in Faro was arrested this Tuesday by the Portuguese Security Police.
António Damião is suspected of attempted manslaughter and of making threats. The attack occurred almost two weeks ago but the paperwork took a while to come through to the PSP, even though the attacker is well known to the local forces of law and order.
Damião is a former security guard who worked the clubs of Faro and ended up serving a prison sentence for cocaine dealing. He also has several cases pending - for making threats and for threatening behaviour despite his current, somewhat more gentle occupation as a dog groomer.
The video of the attack on the afternoon of November 21st ended up on social media.
The attacker is seen to be holding a knife with which he stabbed his victim in the back. The target of the assault turns out to be Damião's landlord. The two men were in dispute over rent, or rather the lack of it and the landlord already had filed complaints about the threats made by his tenant.
The attack took place near the Santa Claus Village at the busy shopping centre. Several children were gathered in the area and witnessed the attack.
António Damião was sentenced in 2008 to eight years and eight months in prison for dealing cocaine in bars and nightclubs. The drug was brought over from Spain and the trafficker also was jailed in the ‘Noite Branca’ investigation.
Damião’s sentence was a stiff one as he was arrested in possession of an unlicensed weapon and had a previous criminal record.
See: https://www.cmjornal.pt/multimedia/videos/detalhe/homens-envolvem-se-em-cena-de-pancadaria-em-shopping-de-faro
