A man was shot while driving his motorbike in Nicosia’s Lakatamia area in broad daylight on Tuesday.

He sustained a gunshot wound to his neck and is now in critical condition.

The man, aged 34, was driving after a visit to a detained individual held at Lakatamia police station.

He was shot by a perpetrator who appeared to be a passenger on a second motorbike.

The injured man is reportedly ‘well known’ to police. He was transferred to Nicosia general hospital after a gunshot wound to his neck.

Officers believe the 34-year-old was being followed and the motorbike driver was waiting for him to pass.

Police scrambled to the scene after the shooting at around lunchtime.

The road between the Anthoupolis roundabout and the Anthoupolis-Palaichori road was temporarily closed off for investigations.

Nicosia CID convened a snap meeting with senior officers to discuss the attempted murder.

An eyewitness told Cyprus Times that he was driving behind the 34-year-old and suddenly saw him drop to the ground in a pool of blood.

An off-duty ambulance worker as well as a number of other drivers pulled over and tried to help, calling emergency services.

“I saw him as he fell to the ground. He was in front me, I stopped. He was in a pool of blood. He was wearing a helmet; I was talking to him asking him if he’s ok but he couldn’t respond.

“Initially I didn’t understand what happened. Another driver from across the road shouted it had been a shooting. I then saw three bullet casings,” the driver following said.