Adebo Meles, the head of Mago National Park, reported that the violence began with the killing of a park driver from the Ari tribe by militants.

Toni Espadas, the tour operator and travel photographer, was not new to Ethiopia. He had been working in the tourism industry in the country for 11 years. Espadas was the founder of the Rift Valley travel agency in Sabadell where tours specialized in Africa.

Espadas was filming the Mursi tribe on Monday for a documentary series entitled Partners of the World. The Spanish newspaper Sur reported that 2 people opened fire on the film crew in which Toni was shot dead at the scene.

It is not believed that the attackers were members of the Mursi tribe, however, the incident escalated into a conflict involving local tribes. The attackers entered Mursi village where gunshots were exchanged between 2 tribesmen.

The Ministry stated the incident was not directed at any tourists and reported that the rest of the tour group was safe and the responsible parties for the deaths were in custody.

The head of the Peace and Security Department of Ari, an administrative zone in South Ethiopia Regional State, Matado Berbi, said security measures have been reinforced in the park area and there is “no immediate threats to public safety.”

It was reported, however, that gunshots could still be heard in the park.

The Mago National Park head said there are ongoing security concerns in Mago National Park, and they have asked the government to address the matter in order to ensure safety for both workers and visitors.

The body of Espadas was transported to Addis Ababa, while the Ethiopian victims were buried in their local village area.