Murder of retired boxer may be linked to gang turf war
In what appeared to be the latest fatal incident in a gang turf war in Athens, a 39-year-old man was killed in a drive-by shooting on Monday morning in the southern suburb of Vari.
Police investigators said the man, a retired boxer, was shot at least 10 times on Andreas Papandreou Street while sitting in the front passenger seat of a car. He was dead before help arrived. Police have launched a manhunt for the perpetrators.
The victim, who reportedly was a relatively well-known former athlete, worked as a doorman at popular nightclubs and provided security for businesses. The 39-year-old had a criminal record and had served time in prison, while in 2015 he was charged by police over his alleged participation in an extortion racket but was later acquitted.
Two weeks ago another former boxer was killed in the area of Metamorfosi in what police called a gangland murder, while on Sunday evening a 32-year-old Albanian national was shot dead in a coffee shop in Sepolia, western Athens.
