On Friday night two men approached Golden Dawn’s offices on Herakliou Avenue and opened fire against four men standing outside, killing two and critically injuring a third, while the fourth managed to hide.
The brutal attack, which occurred just after 7pm in the evening, was caught on film by a number of security cameras from nearby cafes and stores. The assailants arrived at the scene of the crime on a stolen motorbike.
In the attack, which lasted about 10 seconds, the shooter approached the four men who were in the doorway of the offices and opened fire. One person in the group escaped the shooting unscathed and found refuge inside the ultra nationalist party offices. Another in the group, Alexandros Gerontas, was injured and collapse a few meters away.
The other two victims, Giorgos Fountoulis, aged 27 and Manolis Kapelonis, aged 22, were gunned down and died on the scene. Eye witness reports and videos show the shooter firing on the two men to make sure they were dead.
After the attack
The shooter and his accomplice escaped the scene on a stolen motorcycle right after the shooting. An ambulance took the 29-year-old Gerontas to the “Gennimatas” hospital, where he underwent surgery for chest and abdomen injuries. He remains in critical condition.
Police cordoned off the scene to collect evidence, as Golden Dawn supporters and members arrived in droves, including MPs Ilias Kasidiaris and Dimitris Koukoutsis.
Police investigation and 12 casings
The police forensics team collected a dozen bullet casings from a Zastava 9mm pistol was used in the attack and the police suspect that an extremist left wing guerrilla group might be behind the attack. The bullet casings however show that the pistol had not been used in any other crimes, so the police are considering the involvement of organized crime gangs.
A motorcycle stolen in June and matching the description was found nearby, which the police are investigating for any clues or DNA evidence. The motorcycle owner who reported it stolen has been missing.
Political reactions
The controversial party issued an emotionally charged statement detailing the attack and accusing the “traitorous Samaras coalition government” of denying police protection to the party offices and the “corrupt media for targeting a legitimate political party and Greek citizens”. The rest of the parties in parliament responded to the lethal attack, condemning the shooting and appealing to civility.
The Minister of Public Order Nikos Dendias expressed his sorrow for the tragic end of the two victims and added that “the law will be applied to everyone. We will not allow the country to become a field for settling any scores”.
