Iranian Man dies after being shot by police

An Iranian man shot in the leg by a police officer following a disturbance later died in Limassol hospital, Cypriot authorities said on Friday.

According to the police, two officers went to the man’s house in Apesia, Limassol following complaints that he had damaged cars in the village.

The man was reported to be roaming through the village in a rage waving a claw hammer and an axe.

The police officers reported that the suspect, Abolfazi Ziaei, 39, attacked one of the officers with an axe, injuring him in the face, and inflicting a wound on the shoulder, the second policeman shot him in the leg to protect his colleague.

Cyprus police said that the officer who was attacked also fired a shot at the suspect in self-defence.

At Limassol General Hospital the suspect had a heart attack on the operating table.

Hospital staff were able to revive him, but he later died from his injuries under circumstances which are not yet clear. The suspect had injuries to the left and right thigh.

The injured police officer was treated for facial shoulder injuries at the hospital and discharged.

After the Chief of Police Kypros Michaelides met Attorney General Costas Clerides, they agreed that a probe is to be carried out to shed light on the circumstances of the shooting.