More and more details about what happened after the murder of the 43-year-old man in Agrinio are coming to light. The sister of the 30-year-old blessed described what happened until the police managed to find and arrest him.
The 30-year-old, for more than 17 hours, wandered around his father’s house in the village of Myrtia, outside Agrinio. It is said that he stayed for a while in a remote church and then wandered the fields and hid in warehouses.
“Give me water and I will die”
In fact, he threatened to end his life, but in the end it was not after a conversation he had with Giorgos Kalliakmanis. “All night long I looked in the window to see if he would come. At one point I went out to the balcony door and saw him coming, then I called my mother too. I did not see what time this happened. I called him, and he said “give me water and I’m going to die” and he was holding the gun.
I told him I will come with you and whatever happens will get us together. He was running ahead, I was stopping him bit by bit and at some point he had nowhere else to go, he was at a dead end. Then I said to him “do you want to talk to our friend Giorgos Kalliakmanis?” and said to call him. They spoke for an hour and a half on the phone,” said the activist’s sister to Nuacht BEO.
At the same time, the 30-year-old’s sister confirmed that he was receiving medication, and they informed the police about it.
Kalliakmanis intervention
Somewhere in there, Giorgos Kalliakmanis was involved in the situation. The honorary president of the Union of Police Officers n/a Attica said among other things: “When they called me and told me to contact his sister and I started talking to her and she told me that he has a gun to his temple and that he wants to kill himself (her brother).
I also started talking to him and at the same time I thought I would influence him if I told him about his sister, his child and his mother. So I told him “if you pull the trigger you will kill more than the girl who shot the three people” then he started to bow”.
The ELAS announcement
A local man was arrested, today at noon, in Myrtia, Etoloakarnania, by police of the Agrinio Deputy Security Director and the Agrinio OPKE, with the assistance of a negotiator from the Akarnania Police Directorate, against whom a criminal case was filed, for intentional homicide and violation of the gun law.
In particular, last night, in Agrinio, the accused shot a local woman with a firearm and wounded her in the abdomen, and then fled.
Police officers of the DI.AS team. of the Agrinio Department of Immediate Action to the scene of the crime, where they found the woman with a wound in the abdomen, naming the arrested person as the criminal who shot her and helped her transport immediately to the EKAB station, at the General Agrini Hospital, where the patient succumbed to his injuries.
To arrest the accused, police officers from the Agrinio Security Sub-Directorate and the Agrinio OPKE set up an organized police operation, with the participation of negotiators from the Akarnania Police Directorate, which led to the detection and arrest of the accused. this afternoon, in Myrtia, Etoloakarnania.
“He had a revolver and a knife”
In his possession, police officers of the Agrinio Security Directorate found and confiscated a revolver armed with nine cartridges, a knife, -21 – more cartridges and two mobile phones.
It is noted that the defendant was also arrested in September of 2024, after a lawsuit filed against him by the victim, for domestic violence, because when she had a kitchen knife in her house, he threatened her verbally, which scared and worried her. .
The competent Prosecuting Authority imposed the restrictive conditions on the defendant regarding not contacting the victim for a distance of less than -50 meters and the prohibition of communication with her, and two shotguns and the relevant firearms licenses were revoked. For the same situation, the patient did not wish to be given a panic button and moved to a secure accommodation structure.
The arrested person will be brought to the First Degree Prosecutor of Etoloakarnania.
The preliminary investigation is carried out by the Agrini Security Sub-Directorate.
Interview between Time.news Editor and Giorgos Kalliakmanis, Expert on Crisis Negotiation
Time.news Editor: Good afternoon, Giorgos. Thank you for joining us today. The recent incident in Agrinio has captured significant public attention. As we uncover more details, can you provide an overview of what transpired after the unfortunate events?
Giorgos Kalliakmanis: Good afternoon, and thank you for having me. The situation escalated dramatically after the tragic murder of a woman in Agrinio, which involved her brother as the main suspect. Following the incident, he fled and spent over 17 hours evading police while he navigated the countryside, creating a precarious and tense scenario.
Time.news Editor: It’s insightful, particularly how you described his wandering during that time. He even found fleeting moments of refuge in a church and various rural locations. What was the turning point that led to the eventual resolution?
Giorgos Kalliakmanis: It was certainly a tense situation. I was alerted to the issue by the sister of the suspect, who was incredibly worried about his well-being. After finding him, she communicated his distress—threatening to end his life. I reached out to him directly to diffuse the tension, reminding him of the impact his actions would have on his family.
Time.news Editor: That must have taken considerable effort and skill. How did you approach the conversation with someone in such a fragile state of mind, especially knowing he had a gun?
Giorgos Kalliakmanis: It was critical to establish trust and a personal connection. I emphasized the importance of his family and the consequences of his actions—not just for himself but for everyone involved, including his sister and child. I told him that pulling the trigger meant he would hurt more people than just his intended target. Over that hour and a half conversation, we managed to lower the stakes.
Time.news Editor: It’s remarkable how you were able to bridge a connection in such a dire situation. How important is the role of negotiation in preventing further violence during crises like this?
Giorgos Kalliakmanis: Negotiation is pivotal. It can prevent immediate harm and provide breathing space for all parties involved. The goal is to transform a high-stress situation into a dialogue, ensuring that individuals feel heard and valued. In this case, it allowed us to de-escalate the potential for further violence and ultimately led to his arrest without incident.
Time.news Editor: In the aftermath, how do you think communities can better prepare for such crises? Are there lessons here that might aid in future situations?
Giorgos Kalliakmanis: Absolutely. Communities must prioritize mental health resources and support systems that can identify at-risk individuals before they reach a crisis point. This incident highlights the need for better communication protocols among family, friends, and authorities when dealing with mental health crises. Additionally, training more individuals in crisis intervention techniques can provide a safety net and increase community resilience.
Time.news Editor: Those are vital insights, Giorgos. Your experience and perspective undoubtedly provide important lessons for both individuals and law enforcement. Thank you for your time today and for sharing your expertise with our readers.
Giorgos Kalliakmanis: Thank you for having me. I hope we can continue to raise awareness and improve responses to such challenging situations moving forward.