One of two suspects in a triple shooting early morning Saturday in the central Athens entertainment district of Gazi – an accomplice, not the alleged shooter – was arrested on Sunday.
Three men in their 20s were injured by gunfire, with two still in critical condition. The victims, all from Crete, were in the Greek capital to attend a bachelor’s party, according to reports.
The arrested suspect was identified as a 33-year-old Albanian national with a long criminal record in Greece, stemming from organized crime-related offenses, such as drug-smuggling and protection rackets
“I only slapped (one of the victims). I didn’t expect the other guy (the shooter) to fire,” was his first statement to arresting officers. He also claimed he knew the perpetrator only seven months, in otherwise very sparse comments to authorities.
According to Athens-based Mega channel, authorities believe the suspects belong to a notorious criminal gang based in Albania, one linked to a homicide a few months ago in the Nea Ionia district of northwest Athens. A shootout by rival gang members at the latter left a bystander critically injured in a café.
Video footage on Saturday showed a suspect firing directly at the victims’ heads after a minor altercation.
Authorities believe he will try to flee to Albania or Italy.
