Two men died and a third one was seriously injured in a shooting incident inside a betting shop in Glyfada suburb of southern Athens short after 10 o’ clock on Monday morning.
The shooting took place in a residential area around Karaiskaki square in Terpsithea district with people were out doing errant and shopping on the first day of the week. This fact did not hinder one of the attackers to cross the street with his weapon in shooting position.
According to police sources, two armed men entered the shop and started shooting at the three victims. Two persons of Turkish nationality found fleeing the crime scene have been detained as suspects.
Eyewitnesses told ANT1 they saw some 5 to 6 people fleeing the scene, while it is up to police to find out whether they were involved in the incident or just scared customers of the betting shop.
Citing also eyewitnesses, other media reported hearing over 30 gunshots, with the victims found lying outside the nearby shops.
Speaking to newsit.gr, an eyewitness said that “the attackers were shooting at all directions” and he recalled that there were several motorcycles like in patrol on Sunday afternoon.
According to state-run news agency amna, the victims are Turkish nationals of Kurdish descent. Those killed were both 35 years old, while the injured one 25. He was taken to a hospital in the area.
More than 10 shell casings have been found at the scene, while a police car responding to the incident almost immediately located the two men taken into custody as they were running away toward Ano Glyfada.
Police officers also followed the escape route taken by the two suspects as they fled the scene of the attack, finding a jacket and a weapon.
The violent incident occurred in residential area with several stores including a supermarket and a pharmacy, while the betting store is next to a kindergarten.
Authorities have ruled out armed robbery as a motive and are investigating whether personal disputes or a settling of scores led to the violent confrontation.
Ethnos.gr reported of information that the perpetrators have recently rent an Airbnb flat nearby.
More than ten bullet casings were recovered from the crime scene, with the case having been assigned to the Organized Crime Division.
A blood path with brutal mafia-style killings has been taking place since September 2023, with at least 7 Turkish nationals to have been killed in open streets. Police sees rivalry between gangs dealing with drugs.
