Filenews 15 October 2022 - by Michalis Hadjivassilis
An unprecedented double attempted murder was committed the other night against two employees of the Photo-Tagging Unit, while they were on duty on a highway outside Nicosia. The two escaped with wounds from shards of glasses on the head, while the Police search in recent complaints from the cameras to identify the perpetrator.
The attempted murder was committed at 11.30 the other night, when an unknown man with the use of a shotgun fired two shots at the white van of the company that manages the photo-tagging system. It was parked with the lights on on the Kokkinotrimithia - Nicosia highway.
As it was found, the perpetrator, who either saw or was informed of the existence of the vehicle, went on foot through the adjacent fields and approached the vehicle at a distance of about 50 metres. Although he had realized that there were two persons, aged 44 and 32, who were the operators of the portable camera of the Traffic Police, he fired twice towards them. The mass of pellets (gunshot) hit the left side of the vehicle and especially the passenger door. At the same time, the passenger's glass was shattered, resulting in the glass that broke being thrown at the heads of the two passengers.
As the two camera operators later reported to the Police, they had not realized anything, apparently due to darkness, but they heard two loud clicks while at the same time shattering the window of the passenger door of the vehicle in question. The 44-year-old driver immediately started the vehicle and headed to Nicosia General Hospital, after both he and the 32-year-old co-driver suffered injuries to the back of their heads.
The two men were examined by the on-duty doctor and it was found that both had abrasions on the head. They were given first aid and discharged. According to the preliminary examinations carried out on the car, at first sight it appears to bear marks from a shotgun. The scene was cordoned off, while the vehicle was transported to the offices of the ICF Nicosia investigating the case, for further scientific examinations. Since yesterday's examinations, two pistons from a hunting cartridge have been found near the scene, while the violations recorded by the camera shortly before the incident are being dusted off. From the first investigations, it does not seem that anyone was recorded at a very high speed who was annoyed and wanted to react in this extreme way, which is why examinations are being made by the complaints of the cameras in the previous days.
It is noted that other aggressive actions had recently been taken against camera operators, as a result of which the managing company placed cameras in its vehicles. However, a complaint has been made to the Commissioner for Personal Data, who is looking into the matter.
Asked yesterday by "F" to comment on this action, the Minister of Transport, Giannis Karousos, after condemning it, expressed his revulsion and asked the authorities to identify the perpetrators and arrest them. He said that the cameras have come and will stay, because they are necessary to reduce road accidents and especially fatal accidents.
