Alleged accomplice in Gazi attack surrenders; lawyer denies involvement

The 33-year-old Albanian, accused of being an accomplice to the armed assailant who injured three individuals from Crete in the downtown neighborhood of Gazi early Saturday morning, has turned himself in to the authorities. Speaking exclusively to Kathimerini, the 33-year-old’s lawyer, Matina Markou, conveyed his denial of any involvement in the incident and expressed surprise at the actions of his co-defendant, who is still at large.

According to Markou, the defendant maintained a friendly relationship with the assailant over the past seven months. On Friday night, they socialized together, first in the northern Athens suburb of Vrilissia where their SUV was located, and later in Gazi for entertainment. While leaving a nightclub, their vehicle hit a pothole, resulting in water splashing onto the victims of the attack.

This incident triggered a confrontation, during which the wanted suspect brandished a weapon he had in his possession, inflicting injuries on the three individuals. One of them is hospitalized in critical condition. Markou contends that her client was unaware of the assailant carrying a weapon and seeks to distance him from the attack. She further asserts that the 33-year-old has a clean criminal record and no affiliation with any underworld networks, contrary to reports circulating over the past 24 hours.

Meanwhile, according to available information, the arrested individual purportedly informed the police that he slapped one of the three victims himself, although he added that he did not anticipate the assailant drawing a weapon and resorting to gunfire.