The tension remains at Vorizia, Heraklion, Cretea few days after the double killer which shocked the village and plunged the local community into mourning and fear.
According to complaint by the sister of 56-year-old Evangelia Fragiadakiswho was shot dead on the day of the bloody clash, while walking down the street received verbal attack by the mother of 39-year-old Fanouris Kargakis — also a victim of the incident.
“I see the deceased’s mother in front of me and she verbally attacked me. He was holding a broom and a dustpan. He called me ‘stink’ and ‘bastard my children'”, she told the Star.
“I didn’t say a word to her. I only told her “will you forbid me to go to my child’s house?”, he added.
The tension reached the point of needing the police interventionin order to separate the two women and avoid another conflict.
All arrested in prisons
After their apologies, all the arrested members of the two families between which the bloody fight broke out in North. According to the authorities, they have all been remanded in custody for the case seven people – five from the Fragiadakis family and two from the Kargakis family – who are to be transferred to prisons outside Crete.
The Minister of Citizen Protection Michalis Chrysochoidis stated that “behind the vendettas in Crete are hidden criminal organizations with a heavy criminal record”, repeating that “whoever shoots at a social event will be arrested”.
Apologies under strict secrecy
The apology of of three Fragiadakis brothers for their involvement in the massacre was carried out under strict secrecy. All three argued that they had nothing to do with the crime.
The 29-year-old brother specifically reported:
“I wasn’t even holding a gun in my hands. Instead, I held my eight-day-old wife and tried to protect her.”
The advocate of the three sisters, Alexandra Spanakistated that everyone they deny shooting or carrying weapons. As they said, after the fight, they took the injured to the hospital and then fled, fearing for their liveswhile they needed guarantees from the Police to hand them over.
The 27-year-old said: “I wasn’t holding a gun. When the shooting started, I dropped down to protect myself.”
The 19-year-old, who is serving his term, said: “I wasn’t even there at the time, I was at home sleeping.”
The defense attorney George Stiakakis pointed out that to fully clarify the case, “both sides must surrender their weapons”.
The other two defendants and the videos
They were also sentenced to pre-trial detention the two defendants from the Kargaki familywho are seen on video shooting from a hill in the village. The 48-year-old claimed:
“I was in my house with my family and we were trying to protect ourselves. I express my deep sorrow for the death of two people, but I did not have a gun and I did not shoot.”
From the side of the lawyers there is a single request to the two families to hand over their weaponsas this – combined with the results of the laboratory investigations – will contribute decisively to clarifying the case.
“Families with criminal records and social power”
As the Minister of Citizen Protection revealed, these are families with heavy criminal recordmembers of which however they had social influence and participated in local government.
“One of the pre-trial detainees, who is already in prison for animal theft, has been elected the first municipal councilor in the Municipality of Phaistos. This shows that it has been imposed socially and has recognition through its power”, noted Mr. Chrysochoidis.
The minister added that “the perception of tolerance cannot continue”emphasizing that even the murdered “he had a huge criminal record, including attempted murder”which proves the depth of the problem.
Investigations are ongoing
Police investigations are moving into two axes:
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The detection of weapons that were used in the fight.
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The search for the person who gave the order about the fateful rendezvous of death between the two families.
Crete remains in shock, while the State is looking for ways to break the cycle of violence and silence which for decades fueled the vendettas.
Political reactions and interventions
The dramatic developments in Vorizia caused strong political interest.
Its president PASOK – Movement for Change, Nikos Androulakisis in Heraklion, where he has convened broad meeting with local agencies and authoritieswith the subject of the events that tarnished the image of Crete.
The aim of the initiative is to highlight the need strengthening social cohesion and preventing violence in local communities, with an emphasis on education, mediation and support for young people.
Child psychologists at the school of Vorizia
At the same time, child psychologists and social workers they arrived at Vorizion Primary School, in collaboration with Primary Education. They sat with the students at the desks, trying to support the children and limit her constant exposure to offending standards.
Classes started again after nine days offthough several children from the families involved were absentwhich captures the deep rift and climate of fear in the village.
A village in search of peace
Vorizia remains a village that is trying to stand up again.
The memory of the tragedy is fresh, the wounds open and the path to normality difficult.
However, as residents and teachers say, the presence of children in schools and the practical support of the State constitute the first step to reborn hope.