The immediate action warden argued that he didn’t realize the order that had been given earlier by the center of the Hellenic Police, so that no vehicle would pass through the place where people had gathered, in Patision, thinking that the order only concerned the current of the street outside the entrance of the University of Economics and not the opposite.

“I was afraid they would lynch me”he characteristically said and argued that he was forced to use his service weapon because he was afraid that his physical integrity would be at risk from the attack.

He also said he tried to maneuver the patrol car but it was impossible as there were several cars around them. He also mentioned that the other two police officers who were in the patrol car were afraid for their lives and for that reason they left the vehicle. “We have to get out of the patrol car because they’re going to kill us,” they reportedly said, before driving away.

In the video document of the incident, four shots are heard. The policeman in the patrol car is then seen passing by, holding the gun in his hand while driving. The hoodlums are seen throwing stones at him as they chase him.

The police officer was released

An indictment was filed against the policeman who shot, who was arrested, but released on the order of the prosecutor.

By order of the head of the Hellenic Police, the procedures for the disciplinary investigation of the incident are immediately initiated, while the imposition of the administrative measure of availability against the police officers involved is being considered.

According to the information, a Sworn Administrative Examination has been ordered into the movements of the police officers and the fact that they did not obey the orders of the EL.AS center.