Three injured, five detained in downtown Athens shootout

Three people, including two officers, were injured and five people were detained after a shootout in central Athens on Monday.

The incident took place when an unspecified number of people in four separate vehicles started firing at each other on Agiou Meletiou Street, in the district of Agios Panteleimonas, shortly before 1 p.m.

During the exchange of fire, a passerby was injured in the leg by a bullet and had to be transferred to Erythros Stavros Hospital.

The reasons for the shootout remains unknown.

Officers of the DIAS motorcycle unit who arrived at the scene detained five suspects, who have been identified as Roma, and are still searching for those involved in the shooting.

During the chase, two police motorcycles overturned, injuring four officers in the legs. One of the officers suffered a broken leg, while the other lost a toe.