Death of 20-year-old in Argos: Two OPKE police officers remanded in custody
Two OPKE police officers implicated in the fatal shooting of a 20-year-old in Argos have been remanded in custody. Michalis Chrysochoidis spoke of dereliction of duty.
Death of 20-year-old in Argos: Two OPKE police officers remanded in custody
Two police officers from the Crime Prevention and Suppression Unit (OPKE) implicated in the fatal shooting of a 20-year-old in Argos were remanded in custody following their testimony.
The incident occurred during a police operation when the officers opened fire on the young man, who succumbed to his injuries.
Michalis Chrysochoidis, the former Minister of Citizen Protection, speaking on SKAI radio, sent a stern message regarding the incident. As he stated, "the police have a duty to apprehend murderers, not to kill children". Mr. Chrysochoidis stressed that the officers in question did not act properly and violated their duty.
"They exceeded their authority and created a huge problem, a child's life was lost" he noted, adding that there are clear rules of engagement and laws governing the use of weapons. "What takes precedence is precious human life" he emphasised.
Mr. Chrysochoidis pointed out that dozens of pursuits are carried out daily by police officers at risk to their own lives, and most of them result in successful outcomes. In this particular case, however, as he said, the officers' actions should be examined by the courts and criminal law regarding the dereliction of duty they committed.
Source: Naftemporiki