A sexton and a priest were attacked with a machete in two separate Catholic Church attacks in Algeciras, Spain.

The announcement was made on Wednesday by Spain’s Interior Ministry. 

The suspect was apprehended and is in custody. Police believe the incidents may have been terrorism related. 

The first attack occurred at the church of San Isidro around 7 p.m. A man attacked the priest, Antonio Rodriguez, 74, with a machete, seriously injuring him while he was celebrating the Holy Mass. Rodriguez is in stable condition.

Sometime later, the attacker went to the nearby  Nuestra Senora de La Palma church. He defiled church property before seeing a potential victim, a sexton taking care of the church. He chased him and viciously attacked him when he caught up with him at a public square. The victim, Diego Valencia, died after the attack. 

Juan Jose Marina, the parish priest at Nuestra Senora de La Palma, speculated that the attacker may have thought the sexton was a priest. “Possibly, this death was meant for me and it found him instead,” he said.

Local media reported that there were at least three other victims in the attack.

Thursday was declared a day of mourning by Algeciras Mayor Jose Ignacio Landaluce. A gathering was held outside the Nuestra Senora de La Palma church. 

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez expressed his support on Twitter.