Murder inquiry after man shot dead outside Limassol home (update 2)

Limassol police have launched a murder inquiry after Christos Charilaou, 39, was killed outside a house in Parekklisia, Limassol on Saturday night.

Police received information at about 11.45 on Saturday night that shots had been fired outside a home in the Limassol area.

Officers rushed to the scene where they found Charilaou dead outside his home.

He had parked outside his home and while walking to enter it, was shot several times, believed to have been fired from a distance.

Charilaou suffered wounds to the arms, legs and chest.

He was returning from buying food for the family. His wife and two young children were in the house at the time of the attack.

The culprits remain at large, and are believed to have got away on foot.

Limassol police spokesman Lefteris Kyriakou said an ambulance took Charilaou to Limassol general hospital but medics on board declared him dead “so the scene was immediately sealed off and we began investigations.

“This person, as soon as he got out of his vehicle, received a number of shots, as a result of which he fell to the ground covered in blood. It is too early for further information, tests are underway.”

A post mortem at the scene and of the body will be carried out on Sunday by Angeliki Papetta and Orthodoxos Orthodoxou.

Officers were on Sunday morning combing the fields around Charilaou’s home to find any evidence and possibly bullet cases.

Police said they are examining CCTV footage from both the victim’s home and other sources in the area and have taken several statements, including from the victim’s wife who said she thought the suspect or suspects had got away on foot as no car was heard in the somewhat remote area the house is located in.

Charilaou, who is known to authorities, had previously worked as a security guard but was currently involved in real estate. He was recently handed a suspended sentence for a drugs charge.

Several people from his circle have been called to Limassol CID to answer questions.