Suspect held in connection with Thessaloniki murder case

Police in Thessaloniki in northern Greece Wednesday arrested a suspect in connection with the murder of a 19-year-old in the city’s eastern district of Harilaou.

Early reports identified the suspect as a 22-year-old man of Albanian origin.

The suspect has been arrested for violence-related offenses in the past and is before the courts in relation to a violent clash in 2019. He is among the individuals detained after a police operation Tuesday and will appear before a city prosecutor Thursday.

The 19-year-old died from a combination of multiple head injuries and a stab wound in the thigh, according to the coroner’s report.

The stab weapon, reportedly a curved karambit knife, was recovered Tuesday close to the scene of the murder. It was seen by local residents, who alerted the police.

Two friends of the victim, aged 19 and 20, were injured in the deadly attack. Repoted to be in good health, the two are expected to be discharged from Papanikolaou hospital on Thursday.

In a raid on a hangout for PAOK football club fans in central Thessaloniki, police found a mini-arsenal of weapons, including icepicks, knives, lump hammers, shovels, fireworks, wooden and metal bats and pitchforks.