A 54-year-old man in Crete fatally shot a 21-year-old man he blamed for his son’s death in a 2023 traffic accident, in what authorities describe as a revenge killing.
The victim was taken to a hospital in critical condition and later died. The shooting followed a traffic collision between the two men’s vehicles. Witnesses said the suspect intentionally rammed the victim’s car, and after both exited their vehicles and argued, he fired multiple shots at the victime at close range.
Police said the suspect surrendered shortly afterward and handed over the handgun used in the attack.
According to reports, the victim was a friend and peer of the suspect’s son, who died at the age of 17 following a serious crash in Heraklion’s (Irakleio) coastal boulevard in November 2023. The son had been a passenger in a car driven by the 21-year-old when the vehicle veered off the road and struck a pole. He succumbed to his injuries after nearly three weeks in intensive care.
Authorities said the older man had struggled with his son’s death and had previously threatened the victim. Reports also indicate the victim had filed a complaint about threats and an earlier assault.
