A 54-year-old man was shot in a car in Psychiko, northern Athens, on Tuesday morning in what police believe was a mafia-style execution.
Police in the Greek capital were out in force looking for a shooter who gunned down Panagiotis Stathis, a surveyor who was said to have undertaken topographical studies on the islands of the Cyclades, including Mykonos.
According to preliminary reports, the man was gunned down in his car, on the corner of Kritis and Eikostis Pemptis Martiou streets.
Mafia-style execution in Athens
The shooter was on a motorcycle and was able to make a speedy getaway after driving up to the car and shooting the victims at least eight times.
Police have recovered at least 15 shell casings from the crime scene, while an audio recording from the time of the shooting indicated that the perpetrator shot a volley of bullets, paused for a few seconds, and then delivered the final shot.
Authorities were reportedly alerted to the incident at around 8.30 a.m. by the victim’s business partner, who also owns the BMW he was driving. It was not clear whether he also witnessed the shooting.
As can be heard in a video. the assailant shoots the victim in bursts and after a pause of a few seconds, he fires a final shot.
Victim assaulted on Mykonos
In the meantime, police revealed that the victim had been physically assaulted in 2021 on the island of Mykonos and had reported the incident to the authorities, but no suspects had emerged from the ensuing investigation.
They are focusing their investigation into the murder of Stathis on the island of Mykonos, where he had been professionally active since the late 90s.
The victim, a father of two, had for decades been carrying out topographical studies and drawing up plans for major investments on the island, including popular beach bars, some of which had come to the attention of town planning authorities over violations.
He was also reportedly professionally engaged on the islands of Paros and Ios, which will also be the focus of investigation by the police homicide department.
In 2023, a Greek archaeologist responsible for approving building permits in Mykonos was brutally beaten and hospitalized in the Athenian suburb of Kifisia.
Manolis Psarros suffered a severe blow to the back of his head, broken ribs and fractures to his nose and face. He was found in the street, dripping in blood and disoriented, by police after they were alerted by a passer-by.
The victim is an archaeologist and an employee at the Ephorate of Antiquities of the Cyclades, which deals with all issues related to the preservation, protection and safekeeping of antiquities.
Suspicions had been raised over the attack since the victim has been closely monitoring Mykonos and, more specifically, approvals for building permits for hotels and entertainment centers, registering infringements and illegal constructions.
Sources in the archaeological service told Kathimerini that they have linked the attack to the arbitrary building activities in areas of archaeological interest taking place on Mykonos, making special mention of two specific entertainment centers on the island’s beaches, which are under the scrutiny of the planning authorities.
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