Conflicting Reports Surround Ibiza Death.

The late Luke Rhoden

The facts surrounding the death of ex-Rugby player, Luke Rhoden, in Ibiza this week are being investigated by local police, after images and video of the incident, were circulated on social media. The tragic incident was photographed and filmed by onlookers who had gathered around the youth as he resisted arrest by local police. The 25 year old Englishman had been a guest at Ibiza Rocks Hotel and a spokesperson for the hotel stated “He had fallen from a balcony and then made his way through the hotel acting very strangely. He made it out onto the street where the Police took over”. A crowd of people witnessed the struggle restraining Mr Rhoden on the street and conflicting reports have emerged as to the timeline and occurrence of events that ensued. An English newspaper is reporting that Mr Rhoden died in an ambulance after suffering Cardiac arrest, which cannot be confirmed until a full autopsy is performed. A leading local website, Ibiza Spotlight, quickly shut down comments made by members that stated “Man killed in Ibiza by Gaurdia Civil” referring to unsubstantiated reports that Police were heavy handed in the way they handled Mr Rhodens behavior. Police in Ibiza deny any wrong doing in the incident and the blog understands that it was the Policia Local, not the Gaurda Civil, that first responded to the incident. The website later removed the comments and shut down another thread relating to the death and is a sign of the heightened tensions related to this incident.

There have been a number of similar violent incidents in San Antonio this summer as nurses, paramedics and doctors, report attacks on their staff after crazed behavior by holidaymakers, suspected to be under the influence of a new drug called Cannibal, which sends users into a demented state where they want to bite people. Clinics have had to hire private security to protect them from the super human strength that users of the drug display. In a similar case in Magaluf, it took 12 police officers to restrain a man on Cannibal, which is reported to have originated in San Antonio. Workers in the resort are reporting an increasing number of “drink spikings” and are urging holidaymakers never to leave a drink unattended. Police in Ibiza have already logged reports of attacks on their officers, who have to deal with regular occurrences of drug and alcohol fueled anti-social behavior in the resort. The British Consulate confirmed the death occurred and are providing assistance to Mr Rhodens family. They will await the autopsy findings and investigation by the Spanish police before making any further comment. While this is a very emotive case, it is important that the Spanish Authorities are allowed to conduct their investigation process without prejudices. The blog understands that there are witnesses willing to make statements to Police and a Facebook Page has been set up find out the circumstances behind the death.We wish to extend our sympathies to the family and friends of Mr Rhoden at this difficult time.