Police link fatal Nea Smyrni shooting to turf war

In the wake of the deadly shooting in the popular central square of Nea Smyrni on Sunday, police sources have told kathimerini.gr they are working on the assumption the incident was linked to a settling of scores between rival gangs.

The shooting left two men, aged 44 and 42, dead and injured a female bystander.

A surveillance video posted on YouTube captured the moment a gunman wearing a face mask and a black hoodie opened fire shortly after 9.30 p.m. Sunday and then fled.

One of the shot men, both ethnic Albanians, died on the spot and the second in the hospital.

The woman, who was sitting at an adjacent table and also taken to hospital, was injured in the buttocks.

Officers handling the case believe the perpetrator acted alone and left the scene on foot.

“There may have been an accomplice, but from the evidence so far, it doesn’t appear so,” sources said.

The 41-year-old had reportedly been involved in drug cases and robberies in the past.

Albanian media also reported his involvement in drug cases and other offenses and that he had been convicted by an Albanian court for smuggling illegal immigrants.

With regard to the 44-year-old, Albanian media reported that he had received threats and had recently changed his place of residence.