The gunman in Friday’s attempted murder in Ayia Napa was aiming directly at the driver’s seat, and the 33-year-old victim escaped by what was almost a miracle, police sources have told philenews.
What appears to have saved him is that he did not stop but kept driving after the shots were fired, according to the sources. More than 15 shell casings were recovered from the scene, with most of the gunfire striking the right side of his car. A nearby house was also hit, though residents were not endangered.
As philenews has previously reported, the target is the brother of a well-known prisoner serving a life sentence for the quadruple murder committed in Ayia Napa in June 2016. This is why the case has caused such alarm within police, who classified it from the outset as organised crime.
The attack took place at 5.40am on Friday, a few metres from the victim’s home in the Kokkines area. The attackers had hidden and lain in wait for him; when he turned right, they opened fire.
Investigators believe at least two people were involved. They are also examining whether a third person was waiting for them in the Avgorou area, where the stolen Volvo they had been driving was later found burnt out. Famagusta CID investigators hope CCTV footage in their possession will help identify the attackers and trace their movements.
The investigation will also extend to the Central Prisons, as police believe the attackers wanted to send a message to the prisoner by killing his brother. Forensic results on the shell casings and the burnt-out car, currently being examined by the Criminal Investigation Department at Police Headquarters, are expected in the coming days.
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