27.04.2026 13:40
At the San Marcos festival held in Spain, young bull breeder Santiago Barrero San Roman was attacked by a bull and died. This tragic incident at the festival has once again brought security gaps to the forefront.
The traditional San Marcos festival held in the Jaen region of Spain witnessed a tragedy unforgettable this year. In a narrow street called "Calle Palomares" (Hell Street) by locals due to its adrenaline and danger, 30-year-old Santiago Barrero San Roman, one of Spain's youngest and most successful bull breeders, lost his life after being attacked by a bull.
According to chilling accounts from witnesses, the incident occurred during one of the festival's most exciting moments. San Roman, who raised bulls on his own farm and was an expert in his field, took refuge behind a barrier and a barrel by the roadside to escape an enraged bull. However, the furious animal noticed the young man's hiding spot and attacked him with its horns.
In horrifying images captured by amateur cameras, the bull is seen tossing San Roman into the air with its horns, dragging him for meters, and pinning him against wooden fences. Although nearby participants tried to pull the bull away by ropes tied to its neck, the enraged animal continued its attack. The seriously injured young breeder lost his fight for life just one hour after being taken to the hospital.
The most heartbreaking part of the tragedy was San Roman's family life. It was learned that the young man, who inherited Spain's deep-rooted bull breeding legacy from his father and grandfather, was married and a father of two children. Moreover, the information that his wife is currently pregnant and expecting their third child caused great sorrow in the Spanish press. San Roman was known not only as a breeder but also as a beloved family man and an honest tradesman in the region.
Such festivals held annually in Spain are frequently criticized for their security gaps. "Hell Street" is considered the most dangerous course due to its narrowness and limited escape space. Experts note that even a professional breeder's inability to survive in such a confined space once again highlights the inadequacy of the festival's safety procedures.
As Spain reels from this news of death, the recent serious injury of famous matador Morante de la Puebla in the arena from a bull's horn blow has reopened the debate on the dangers of bullfighting in the country. The festival committee did not cancel the event despite the death but settled for a minute of silence in memory of San Roman.