Three dead, two injured in Cyprus resort ‘gangland’ shootout

ATHENS (Reuters) – Three people were killed and two injured during a shootout in Cyprus’s tourist resort of Ayia Napa on Thursday, police said, in an incident possibly related to local crime gangs.

Police declined to speculate on what was behind the killing, but a terror motive appeared to be ruled out.

State radio reported that four people were killed in the shootout, including a local businessman.

Serious crime is rare in Cyprus, which attracts more than 2 million, mainly western European tourists each year. But there are sporadic incidents of gangland violence.

In June 2012, five security guards were shot dead in Ayia Napa, in what was widely considered a contract killing.

(Reporting by Michele Kambas; Editing by Leslie Adler)