Investigation into death of 20-year-old from police gunfire in Argos
Two police officers face more serious charges following the fatal shooting of a young man during a pursuit in Argos, while ballistics testing is expected to shed light on the exact circumstances of the incident.
Investigation into death of 20-year-old from police gunfire in Argos
Two police officers who participated in a pursuit resulting in the fatal shooting of a 20-year-old in Argos are being held in custody, whilst the charges they face may become more severe. The young man, who was on the autism spectrum, died following gunshots during a traffic stop.
According to Newsit.gr, ELAS press spokeswoman Konstantia Dimoglídou made statements to MEGA on Monday. She stated that the results of laboratory tests by the forensic pathologist and ballistics expert are pending and will determine the criminal liability of the officers involved.
The 20-year-old was struck by more than twenty gunshots. One bullet hit him in the head, resulting in his death from his injuries after several days of hospitalisation, despite efforts by medical staff.
The arrested officers claim that the gunshots were warning shots intended to intimidate. As they alleged during their testimony, they had no intention of killing or injuring the driver. However, their version was not accepted by the investigating magistrate and prosecutor, who decided to remand them in custody.
Of particular interest is the fact that the police officers did not know the identity of the person they were pursuing. The car driven by the young man belonged to a relative and not to himself. The question being investigated is whether there was justification for the use of lethal force and whether the circumstances warranted the deployment of weapons.
The ballistics investigation is expected to determine the type of weapons used, as well as which of the two police officers hit the unfortunate driver. The ELAS spokeswoman noted that a charge of possible murder requires that the perpetrators should have been able to foresee the risk of serious injury to a citizen.
Source: Newsit.gr