US EditionRetired Matador Killed by Bull Ahead of Bullfight in Southern Spain
Spain’s National Police are treating the death as a workplace accident as investigators examine handling protocols at the arena.
- On Friday night, April 3, 2026, retired matador Ricardo Ortiz, 51, was killed after being gored by a bull in the corrals of La Malagueta bullring in Malaga, Spain.
- At 19:40, during the "desembarque" of cattle for the sold-out Corrida Picassiana, the fatal incident occurred, interrupting preparations for Malaga's Easter celebrations.
- As a member of a well-known local bullfighting family, Ortiz was fatally struck while assisting with the handling of bulls from the Puerto de San Lorenzo and El Pilar ranches.
- Spain's National Police are treating the death as a workplace accident, investigating whether standard handling protocols were followed and how the bull was being managed at the time.
- The 150th-anniversary event is proceeding under a cloud of investigation, with attention turning to whether the Corrida Picassiana will continue as planned given its significance within Malaga's Easter programme.
61 Articles
61 Articles
By Issy Ronald, CNN A retired bullfighter died on Friday after being run by a bull while preparing the animals for a run in a square in Malaga, in southern Spain, the organizers reported. Ricardo Ortiz was handling the bulls in the pens of La Malagueta, a historic bullring in Malaga, when one of the animals attacked him, according to Lances de Futuro, the event’s organizing company. “We want to convey our deepest condolences to the family, frien…
Ricardo Ortiz got horned while he was unloading bulls at the La Malagueta arena in Malaga.
Bullfights are deeply rooted in Spain – but have been in criticism for years because of animal suffering. In addition, the events repeatedly cause serious injuries and also fatal accidents. In Malaga, a bull has now attacked a man while unloading.
When the bulls were unloaded for a bullfight in Málaga, an employee was attacked and impaled by an animal.
Controversial tradition in Spain Controversial tradition in Spain Author: undefined
Ricardo Ortiz was unloading bulls in a Malaga arena when he was violently horned by one of the animals. He died at the age of 51.
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