The man, Athanassios Arvanitis, 31, then carried her head into the streets. He knifed a policeman, was shot multiple times, and then stole a police vehicle and apparently deliberately rammed two women doctors who were riding on a motorcycle with sidecar. Both women were badly injured and have been airlifted to Athens for treatment. Another bystander was injured by stray fire as police shot at the "suspected" murderer. He is in custody and is being treated for his injuries.
Some early accounts indicate that the pair were married, but this is not clear at this time. Arvanitis' age has been given as 40 elsewhere.
Arvantis also apparently killed and beheaded a dog during the rampage.
Anna Vafeiadou of Santorini Web, a tourism website on the island, had this to say by e-mail: "As for the victim and the killer, they were not from Santorini but from other parts of Greece and they had a love relation that ended in a drama. The doctors informed us that the killer is mentally disturbed."
Anna is shocked by the event. "I personally can't believe it as it is the first time that something like this ever happened in our peaceful Santorini! Imagine that we still sleep with our windows open and our children play in the neighborhoods while grandmas are trying to feed them their fruits!It is the first time that something like this ever happened in our peaceful Santorini! Imagine that we still sleep with our windows open and our children play in the neighborhoods while grandmas are trying to feed them their fruits! It is a busy island but people are not hostile or aggressive - it's the opposite, they are like kids that never grow up with pure hearts!"
Santorini is hoping for a return to "normal" after two tumultous years. In 2007, the Louis Cruises' ship the "Sea Diamond" sank in the caldera of the volcanic island, creating an ongoing controversy over whether or not, and how, the ship should be removed to prevent possible future oil leaks.
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