Political motive ruled out as American shot

A 56-YEAR-old American resident of Cyprus was shot and injured to the eye early yesterday as he drove out of his driveway in Engomi, Nicosia.

The man, a teacher at a private school in Larnaca, is married to a Greek Cypriot. He had been on his way to work when he was shot at 6am. His wife drove him to hospital immediately, where he was kept in for observation. His injury was not serious, police said. Only one shot was fired.

The gunman, who was on a bicycle, approached the man and asked him directions in English just before opening fire with a pistol, police said. They believe the attack was of a personal nature. The American had no connection to the US embassy, although US security swarmed the area in the immediate aftermath of the shooting, along with Cypriot police, anti-terrorist police and the dog squad.

The culprit was described as about 1.8 metres tall, wearing black clothes and sunglasses and riding a black and yellow bicycle.

The Cyprus Mail is the only English-language daily newspaper published in Cyprus. It was established in 1945 and today, with its popular and widely-read website, the Cyprus Mail is among the most trusted news sites in Cyprus. The newspaper is not affiliated with any political parties and has always striven to maintain its independence. Over the past 70-plus years, the Cyprus Mail, with a small dedicated team, has covered momentous events in Cyprus’ modern history, chronicling the last gasps of British colonial rule, Cyprus’ truncated independence, the coup and Turkish invasion, and the decades of negotiations to stitch the divided island back together, plus a myriad of scandals, murders, and human interests stories that capture the island and its -people. Observers describe it as politically conservative.