The head of the provincial government in Leon in Northern Spain was shot down in the street as she walked from her home to a ruling Popular Party (PP) meeting.  Authorities say the killing appears related to a personal grudge rather than having a political motivation.

59-year old Isabel Carrasco was shot several times as she crossed a footbridge just after 5 O’clock in the afternoon, a time when the area was crowded with kids playing and people walking their dogs.  Spanish police took a mother and daughter into custody, saying that the daughter had recently been fired from her job at the provincial government.  Other local news reports say the women are the wife and daughter of a Police chief.

This comes with the European Parliamentary elections looming just two weeks away.  Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy reportedly cleared his scheduled and headed straight for Leon.  The opposition Socialist Party and other parties have also offered condolences and cancelled campaign events.