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Two policemen were killed and two others were seriously injured after being attacked by three gunmen during a police chase. George Skiloyanis at the age of 22 and Ioannis Evangelinelis 23 years old lost their lives. Four policemen from DIAS were chasing a jeep when suddenly its passengers opened fire on them.

The chase began after a citizen’s call for robbing a kiosk in the Athens suburb of Peristeri. During the chase a Volvo car which was stolen appeared on a central street where four police officers followed it with their motorcycles.

The car stopped in the Renti neighbourhood minutes later and three passengers got out of it. Then they fired about 100 cartridges at the police officers. According to some sources, they made an ambush with the aim to kill the police officers who would turn down the crossing of the street.

The director of the hospital in the suburb of Nicaea where the police officers were taken said that one of them was dead even when the ambulance arrived at the place of the attack. The second one was wounded in the head by a bullet that had passed through the back of his helmet. Doctors have made great efforts to save him, but he lost his life on the operating table. The third policeman was wounded in the abdomen and the medical staff makes every effort to stop the multiple bleeding. The fourth policeman was wounded only in the knee as if by magic and doctors said he might not need surgical intervention.

All four victims of the cold-blooded attackers were aged between 20 and 25 years. DIAS forces were created less than two years ago in order to intensify patrols on the streets in favour of civil security. The DIAS forces have created good image in public opinion due to the good results achieved for such a short time. Two of their police officers arrested early last November members of the terrorist group Conspiracy of Fiery Cores on their way to a courier office to send another package bomb.

Greek media put a special emphasis on the fact that mostly young men are involved in the forces whose salaries do not exceed € 850 with overtime and weekends on duty payments. Due to the cut budget of the police which are often unable to provide necessary equipment police officers in many cases buy themselves helmets and bullet-proof vests.

About an hour after the shooting police officers found the abandoned car of the three attackers. According to the national television NET, a Kalashnikov and a pistol were found inside and Sky TV reported that two rifles and one pistol had been found in the jeep. The police informed that the number plates were stolen from a car in the northern suburb of Nea Eritrea more than a year ago.

Hundreds of policemen gathered outside the hospital in Nicaea to express their support to the colleagues who have become victims of the gangsters’ attack. At the same time, a police action, involving a police helicopter, is being held in the region to find and capture the three attackers.

Police believe the attackers are criminals and recidivists, and connect them with the gang of three suspected of a number of burglaries in the area of the Menidi neighbourhood last month.