Third shooting at camera van

Police were called to respond to an incident after shots were fired at a mobile camera operator’s van with a hunting gun, the third incident in a year, sparking safety concerns for handlers.

The incident occurred at around 9 pm on Wednesday along the road leading from the village of Avgorou to Xylofagou in the Famagusta district, which is badly lit.

Preliminary examinations revealed clear evidence of shotgun pellets impacting the targeted vehicle, causing minor damage, but luckily not injuring the operator.

The camera operator parked the vehicle for routine traffic and monitored road conditions.

According to reports, as the operator settled into position, he heard gunshots, followed by a disconcerting hail of bullets striking the vehicle.

Police swiftly responded to the operator’s distress call, thoroughly investigating the incident.

This incident underscores the risks mobile camera operators face on the island’s roads and raises questions about their safety.

This was not the first time a traffic camera van operator was threatened, as two similar incidents were recorded last year.

One attack happened in mid-October 2022 when two operators of a traffic cam vehicle were slightly injured on the Kokkinotrimithia-Nicosia highway after being shot at by a hidden shooter with a hunting gun.

Another shooting occurred later in the same month when the vehicle was on the Larnaca-Ayia Napa highway at the Pyla exit.

According to police, a large bike with two people on board wearing crash helmets approached the vehicle’s location.

The bike passenger pulled out a shotgun and fired two shots; fortunately, the operator inside was unharmed.