Police on chase: 5 shots fired – No gunshot injuries

From the preliminary examinations, it does not appear that the wound on the 17-year-old's cheek comes from the shots that were fired during the pursuit of his vehicle, said the head of the TAE Limassol, Lefteris Kyriakou, in relation to last night's incident in Ypsonas.

In his statements, Mr. Kyriakou stated that initially three shots were fired in the air by members of the Police and as the driver did not comply and continued to drive at increased speed, two shots were fired with the aim of hitting the tires of the vehicle.

It is recalled that the two Police patrol cars went to the Ypsonas area, following a complaint that young people were throwing stones, holding sticks and causing a disturbance, also setting fires in large dog containers.

According to the head of the TAE Limassol, before the arrival of the patrol cars, a fire truck that was called to extinguish the fires started by the youths was pelted with stones.

The patrol cars remained at a distance, awaiting reinforcements, he continued, but at one point, a Molotov cocktail was thrown at one of the patrol cars, causing its roof to burst into flames.

The police officers, he added, "found that a vehicle overtook them from behind at breakneck speed, a pursuit ensued, with the use of sirens and a signal to stop, however the driver was driving negligently, dangerously and endangering the lives of so many other people that were using the street, but also the crew of the patrol car".

Initially, three warning shots were fired, while as the driver did not comply, two more shots were fired, with the aim of immobilizing the vehicle, he added.

The driver, said the head of the Limassol Police Department, however, managed to escape and the owner of the vehicle was searched for.

After receiving relevant information, a 17-year-old boy was identified at the Limassol General Hospital, who had a wound on the cheek and is expected to be examined by a medical examiner, while as Mr. Kyriakou emphasized, "from the preliminary examinations, it does not appear that this wound came from a bullet or that it resulted from the use of a firearm".

The Police also located the vehicle, which belongs to the mother of the 17-year-old and which was taken for ballistics testing.

Noting that the young man has not yet been arrested, he stated that "an effort has been made by the Police to secure an arrest warrant, but this has not been issued".

The extent to which the young man was the driver of the vehicle will become clear when a statement is taken from him, according to Mr. Kyriakou, who at the same time emphasized the dangers inherent in such behaviors.

"Such actions put the lives of other people who use the road at risk," he said and added that "the action of young people to throw Molotov cocktails at a Police patrol car has put the lives of the crew in immediate danger."

The police officers, he continued, "are professional people who work and expect to return back to their families, but this action endangered the lives of colleagues, as the ignition could have spread to the vehicle and there were injuries."

The head of the TAE Limassol also expressed the position that such actions are aimed at the Police and the Fire Service, as well as in the past, in the same area, similar incidents have been recorded, where young people throw stones and attack police and fire vehicles.

Source: KYPE