A manhunt is underway after two people were shot dead and six injured at a village on the Greek island of Crete.
Men armed with AK-47 rifles and shotguns opened fire in an incident said to have been sparked by a family feud. A 56-year-old nurse and a 39-year-old father-of-five were killed.
Six others were injured in the attack, and taken to local hospitals according to a statement by the EKAB, the country’s national emergency centre.
The shootout took place on Saturday at around 11am in the small rural community of Vorizia, which is located 52 kilometres (32 miles) south of the island’s largest city, Heraklion.
Police said that two of the injured are under guard in hospital and are being investigated for their role in the incident. EPT news reported that the two were being investigated for murder and attempted murder.
A manhunt is underway for three other men suspected of being involved, including the son of the 56-year-old woman according to EPT.
Located on the slopes of Mount Ida, authorities are searching for the suspects among the mountains, canyons and paddocks of the local area. The village has been sealed off by heavily armed forces wearing bulletproof vests and full-face hoods and conducting checks on every vehicle entering or exiting the community.
The search is said to be one of the largest in the region in recent times, with elite units deployed to conduct the operation.
The area is difficult to reach by ambulances, with some locals being forced to take the injured to the hospital in their cars. Ambulances were unable to pass due to the ongoing gunfire.
Local media have reported that the shooting came after an explosion at a house under construction on Friday. The homemade device is reported to have let off a loud bang, which could be heard for miles.
The war between two local families is said to have been a long-standing one.
The families had previously had conflicts linked to grazing lands, which were resolved through private mediation, according to Greek public broadcaster ERT. The process is common practice in rural areas of Crete.
However, last year the dispute was reignited when one family bought land to build a house in an area traditionally controlled by the other – the building was the site of the explosion on Friday. Hours after the explosion, gunfire broke out and the two people were killed.
A funeral is to take place on Monday for the 39-year-old man, with villagers fearful of reprisals at the event, according to EPT.
