Two individuals lost their lives and a minimum of six others sustained injuries in an incident involving gunfire that occurred on Saturday on the Greek island of Crete.
The event unfolded shortly after 11 am and stemmed from an ongoing family dispute in the village of Vorizia, situated 32 miles south of the major city of Heraklion on the island.
Police confirmed that a 39-year-old man and a 56-year-old woman were the two victims who perished during the shootout. Emergency services EKAB disclosed that six other individuals were swiftly transported to nearby medical facilities with injuries of various degrees.
Authorities stated that two injured men are currently hospitalized and are being monitored as their involvement in the armed clash is being probed by the police.
Following the gunfight, a significant response was mobilized by security forces and emergency teams to the small mountain village, where a preliminary investigation has been launched by authorities.
Local media reported that the incident appears to be the most recent development in a longstanding feud between two local families, with a prior explosion occurring on Friday night at a construction site with no casualties reported.
According to Greek public broadcaster ERT, previous altercations between the families had revolved around grazing lands, which were previously settled through private mediation, a customary practice in rural regions of Crete. Tensions reignited last year when a member of one family purchased land for constructing a residence in an area predominantly controlled by the other family, as per local sources.
The house where the explosion occurred on Friday was allegedly built on this contentious piece of land.