A 72-year-old man suspected of shooting at another man after mistaking him for someone else in the rural Algarve area of Vila Real de Santo António has been arrested by Portugal’s Judicial Police (PJ) on suspicion of attempted murder and possession of a prohibited firearm, following months of police investigation.
The incident is believed to have occurred on 10 July in the context of a land dispute. The victim, a 71-year-old man, was driving a vehicle along an access road to the suspect’s property when he was ambushed and shot at with a firearm. According to the PJ, he was hit “by mistake” because he was driving a vehicle similar to that of the person with whom the suspect is actually involved in an ongoing neighbourly dispute. The reason behind the delay between the date of the incident and that of the suspect’s arrest remains unclear.
The man escaped injury because the windscreen of the vehicle withstood the impact of the shot, despite it being fired from directly in front and at close range.
“The investigation clarified the circumstances of the incident and enabled investigators to identify and secure significant evidence, including the seizure of a hunting rifle, believed to be the weapon used in the crime,” the PJ said.
The suspect is due to appear before a judicial magistrate for questioning and a decision on the coercive measures to be imposed.
The investigation is being led by the Department of Investigation and Prosecution of Vila Real de Santo António.
Source: PJ
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