An unimaginable crime was committed in the early hours of the morning in Limassol; the victim was a 46-year-old mother of three who is fighting for her life, and the perpetrator was her 55-year-old husband, a member of the police force.

The attempted murder, which is being investigated by the Limassol Criminal Investigation Department, took place shortly before 7 a.m. outside the Agios Spyridonas High School in Zakaki. The police officer left the Port Authority office and was seen at some point following his wife in his vehicle in the Zakaki area.

Read more: The woman tried to get out of the car but didn’t make it in time: The dramatic minutes before the police officer pulled the trigger

They stopped outside the school; the 55-year-old man got out of the car, got into the 46-year-old woman’s vehicle, and, according to an eyewitness, they began to argue.

“I turned around and saw him grabbing her by the throat, so I told him to let her go. He told me, ‘Get out of here—she’s my wife.’ She wasn’t speaking; she was pointing at me with her hand and asking for help. He pulled a gun from his waistband, pointed it at me, and said, ‘I’m going to shoot you,’ while at the same time shooting his wife.” ^Witness

The 55-year-old man subsequently took his own life.

The 46-year-old is fighting for her life

The victim was rushed to Limassol General Hospital, where she underwent surgery. Early in the afternoon, she was transferred to another hospital in Limassol, where she underwent another lengthy liver surgery. Her condition is considered extremely critical.

Investigations and an autopsy at the scene

The scene was cordoned off by a large police presence. Members of the Limassol Criminal Investigation Department and the Criminal Investigation Service of the Police Headquarters conducted an examination at the scene, where they collected evidence. Medical examiner Nicolas Charalambous conducted an on-site examination of the crime scene and the police officer’s body.

“This is a member of the police force who had begun his shift this morning at 6:07 a.m., and it appears that upon assuming his duties, he was issued the specific weapon that appears to have been used in the incident” ^{Stelios Aristidou, Limassol Police Director}

Financial motives under scrutiny

The perpetrator and the victim are the parents of two children and three others from previous marriages.

According to information from Alpha, the 55-year-old left home to go to the station where he is stationed earlier than usual, and after checking in his service pistol, he left and returned to the Zakaki area where their home is located.

The 46-year-old woman had also left to go to her job. At some point along the way, he appears to have spotted her, and they stopped outside the school, though it remains unclear how they ended up meeting there. Investigators from the Limassol CID, who are taking statements, appear to be gathering testimony suggesting that the couple had financial problems and disputes over gambling.

Watch Erika Kavazi’s report