A 20-year-old man who was shot in the head by police in the city of Argos, in Greece’s Peloponnese region, remains in extremely critical condition in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at KAT General Hospital, one of the country’s leading trauma centers.
The young man was transferred from Thriasio Hospital, where he was initially admitted and his condition was reportedly assessed as irreversible. The transfer was carried out under heavy security, with vehicles from the Crime Prevention and Suppression unit and the Security Police escorting the ambulance.
At the same time, legal proceedings are moving forward. The two police officers who discharged their service weapons have been charged with attempted homicide with possible intent while in a calm state of mind, a serious offense under Greek criminal law.
How the High-Speed Chase Unfolded
The incident began in the early hours of Wednesday morning when the 20-year-old, driving his mother’s car, ignored police orders to stop for a routine check and accelerated in an attempt to flee.
During the pursuit, the young man reportedly threw a handgun from the vehicle. Authorities later determined that it was an air gun replica, which has been sent to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations for forensic examination.
The chase ended in the parking lot of a supermarket, where the 20-year-old’s vehicle became trapped. According to the Hellenic Police, the driver repeatedly rammed police patrol cars in an attempt to escape and also allegedly tried to run over officers who had exited their vehicles.
After realizing he could no longer escape by car, the 20-year-old abandoned the vehicle and began running through the darkness toward a perimeter wall.
“We Fired Warning Shots Into the Air,” Officers Say
The two police officers, who were arrested under Greece’s expedited in flagrante procedure, claim they fired warning shots into the air to intimidate the suspect as he attempted to climb the wall. However, according to forensic experts, the young man has two bullet wounds in the head.
Investigators recovered a total of 13 shell casings from the scene, indicating that multiple shots were fired during the operation.
Video Captures Moments Before and After the Shooting
Video footage released publicly shows the movements of police patrol cars shortly before and after 2:00 a.m. during the pursuit.
The footage also captures the moment an ambulance arrived at the scene at around 3:30 a.m. to transport the severely bleeding 20-year-old. Marks that may have been caused by police gunfire can also be seen in the video.
The two accused officers appeared before the prosecutor and were granted until Friday to prepare their defense before responding to the serious charges they face.
The exact circumstances surrounding the shooting remain under full investigation.
