Police are on high alert after Monday’s daylight murder by gunfire of 55-year-old Thanasis Kalogeropoulos as they are deeply concerned it may lead to further bloodshed.
Kalogeropoulos was gunned down in Yermasogia while on the way for his morning swim at a beach he frequented along the Limassol coastal road, after having dropped his daughters off at school.
Two hooded attackers dressed in black fired at him with a Kalashnikov rifle and a pistol from just two metres away, with the total amount of shots fired not yet confirmed.
The victim was shot in the head and other parts of his body. The state pathologists are expected to announce further details within the day.
Limassol police chief Lefteris Kyriacou confirmed on Monday that the victim had been involved with the police in the past – a phrase typically hinting that he had previously been involved in crime.
Local media reported that Kalogeropoulos had been called to testify in two previous murder cases.
Police are understood to be facing a wide-ranging investigation as Kalogeropoulos had many business dealings, which may be linked to the incident, while connections to past cases are also on the table.
Indeed, police immediately called in the victim’s family and friends for assistance in the investigation – with Phileleftheros reporting that he had been advised to be careful and take extra precautions but did not act on it. He thought he was being careful by frequenting the beach in the morning.
Initial investigations are focusing on CCTV, his movements from his Pareklissia residence, and recent phone calls.
A central focus of the investigation is the getaway car used by the attackers – understood to be two shooters and likely a driver.
The car was found not far from the murder scene but was set on fire to destroy evidence. Police found what they believe to be the two murder weapons inside.
The car had been declared stolen on October 7 in Limassol. A further twist is that the car’s licence plates had been replaced with another set which were stolen from a car belonging to a foreigner who has not lived in Cyprus for months.