Greek police have arrested one suspect and detained another after a violent clash in the Cretan village of Vorizia, near Iraklio, left two people dead and four others injured on Saturday, November 1.
Authorities believe the bloodshed stems from a long-running dispute between the Kargakis and Frangiadakis families over grazing land, an intergenerational feud that officials now fear could flare up again despite heavy police presence.
Forensic investigations revealed that one of the victims, a 56-year-old woman, died from a gunshot wound, not a heart attack as initially believed.
The second victim, a 39-year-old man, is reportedly linked to the Kargakis family. His funeral has been postponed pending the completion of the forensic report.
At least ten homes have been searched so far, with evidence reportedly recovered from two of them.
“The investigation will continue until all parties involved are brought to justice,” a police spokesperson said, adding that the search will expand to nearby villages in the coming days.
Greece’s police chief, Dimitris Mallios, and head of criminal investigations, Fotis Douitsis, have travelled to Crete to coordinate the operation.
A 10-member elite investigative unit, often referred to as the “Greek FBI,” has been deployed, alongside EKAM counterterrorism officers flown in from Athens.
The gunfight followed a bomb explosion at a nearby construction site one day earlier. Witnesses said armed men stormed Vorizia in apparent retaliation, firing Kalashnikov rifles in what police estimate amounted to “thousands of rounds.”
Tensions remain high at Venizeleio General Hospital in Iraklio, where families have gathered for updates on the victims. Riot police have cordoned off the area to prevent further clashes.
Police say the investigation remains active, with both detained individuals under questioning as they work to determine who orchestrated the deadly assault.
Source: Ekathimerini.
