The local community in Borizia, Heraklion, Crete – and beyond – is shocked by the deadly armed clash that occurred on Saturday morning (1/11) between two families who had years-long disputes, resulting in two people losing their lives and others being wounded. Indeed, the purchase of a house appears to have been the beginning of the feud between two families. The situation escalated with the placement of an explosive device in the building on Friday evening (31/10), causing extensive property damage, and ultimately the dispute between the two families seems to have led to Saturday morning’s massacre.
Borizia Heraklion: The house that caused the bloody massacre
According to information from creta24.gr, everything started in the previous period, when one family living in the lower part of the village (lower village) bought a house in the upper part (upper village). This move appears to have provoked the anger of the other family, with the local media citing unconfirmed information that they were asked not to proceed with the house purchase in exchange for financial compensation. However, on Friday evening unknown persons placed an explosive device in the house, which was under construction, and as it appears this led to the massacre.
The earlier dispute over grazing lands
According to information from ERT from the Borizia area, the two families allegedly had previous differences related to grazing lands in the broader region. In the past, members of both sides had attempted to resolve their differences using weapons. However, it is emphasized that today’s bloody incident with the shootings and deaths is not connected to the vendetta of 1955, which occurred 70 years ago.
Borizia Heraklion: Two of the wounded hospitalized under guard – First police announcement
At the same time, an official announcement regarding the massacre that occurred on Saturday morning (1.11) in the Borizia area of Phaistos Municipality in Heraklion was issued by the headquarters of the Greek Police. According to the first official information from police headquarters, the clash resulted in the fatal wounding of a 39-year-old man and a 56-year-old woman, while two more women were wounded and transferred to hospital for treatment. Additionally, the wounding of two men was confirmed, who are hospitalized under guard, as their possible involvement in the bloody incident is being examined.
The detailed Greek police announcement: “Early this morning, the Heraklion Police Directorate was informed by residents of a village in Heraklion prefecture, Crete, about an armed incident that had occurred earlier.
Special police forces (T.E.K.A.M. – T.A.E. – O.P.K.E.) immediately went to the scene, as well as officers from the Crime Investigation and Detection Subdivision and the Heraklion Police Directorate. The General Regional Police Director of Crete was also present on site to coordinate the operation.
The incident resulted in the fatal wounding of two Greek nationals (a 39-year-old man and a 56-year-old woman) as well as the wounding of two women, who were transferred to hospital. Subsequently, the wounding of two men was also confirmed, who are hospitalized under guard and their participation in the armed incident is being examined.
A preliminary investigation is being conducted by the Crime Investigation and Detection Subdivision, with the assistance of the Organized Crime Combat Directorate, while a team from E.K.A.M. is also traveling to the area.
Any developments will be followed by further updates.”
Borizia Heraklion: How the Cretan vendetta began – The timeline
Everything started around 10 in the morning, when weapons came out in Borizia and gunshots began to rain down. Bullets fell both inside the village and in the surrounding mountains, as well as in the area’s gorge. According to information from flashnews.gr, two families appear to have taken up Kalashnikov-type weapons, who had disputes for years, and opened fire one against the other, according to what has become known so far, triggered by yesterday’s incident. According to patris.gr, more than 2,000 bullets were fired. The other village residents locked themselves inside their homes and simply listened to the Kalashnikov bursts.
It should be noted that hours after the shooting began, special police units managed to enter Borizia and cordoned off the area to locate those responsible for the bloody incident. Searches are ongoing to locate and arrest the perpetrators. It is speculated that several of them are hiding fully armed in the surrounding mountains of the area. According to information, orders have been given to conduct house-to-house searches to locate Kalashnikovs and other weapons used in the armed battle.
Massacre in Borizia Heraklion: What ambulance service sources report
Officially, a woman about 57 years old is dead at the Moires Health Center and a 39-year-old man at Venizeleio, while a total of six wounded have been transported to hospitals by ambulance. Indeed, according to information from parapolitika.gr, the woman who died from cardiac arrest during the barrage of gunshots in Borizia was a nurse at Chania hospital.
The wounded were picked up by ambulances, but also farm vehicles and transferred to nearby health centers. Strong police forces from across Crete are at the scene. Due to the many wounded requiring medical care and the tension between the two families, besides Venizeleio Hospital, wounded were also transferred to PAGNH, which normally is not on duty, in order to “separate” the two families, for fear of incidents.
At 15:30, ambulance service sources reported the following:
Today, Saturday November 1, 2025, the Coordination Center of Heraklion Crete ambulance service received a call at 11:18 a.m., reporting an incident of gunfire exchange in Borizia village of Phaistos Municipality, with an unclear number of casualties.
Five ambulances were immediately mobilized, including 1 Mobile Medical Unit (MMU), as well as 1 small vehicle with a doctor, while 2 additional ambulances from Agia Varvara and Moires Health Centers were placed on heightened alert.
Due to the particularly dangerous conditions prevailing at the scene and following instructions from the police chief, the ambulance service forces remained in a safe waiting position at Moires Health Center, until permission was given to approach within the village.
Up to this time, the rescuers and doctors have carried out the following transports:
– 2 wounded women from Moires Health Center to University General Hospital of Heraklion (PAGNH).
– 2 wounded men, following a police call, from a private clinic in Heraklion to University General Hospital of Heraklion (PAGNH).
– 1 unconscious woman from Moires Health Center to University General Hospital of Heraklion (PAGNH) and 1 unconscious man to “Venizeleio” Hospital of Heraklion.
The ambulance service forces remain reinforced and on heightened alert, while the operation is still ongoing.
Two additional wounded were transported from a Private Clinic to PAGNH. These are two men aged 25 and 30.
Heraklion Crete massacre: Police chief and head of Greek FBI urgently travel to the island
The incident has caused unprecedented alarm among Greek authorities. Beyond mobilizing dozens of teams from special forces and other elite units stationed in Crete’s prefectures, according to police sources, Police Chief Lieutenant General Dimitrios Mallios is traveling to the Mesara region, as is the director of the Greek FBI (Organized Crime Combat Directorate) Major General Fotios Douitssis. Elite officers from police headquarters are expected to accompany them.
Minister of Citizen Protection Michalis Chrysochoidis is being directly informed about police actions. The purpose of the urgent departure of top police officials to Crete is clearly to coordinate the actions that will follow, conduct extensive investigation, and send the message that any further hostilities between the two families cannot be tolerated under any circumstances.
Scenes of ancient tragedy at “Venizeleio”
Meanwhile, scenes of ancient tragedy are unfolding at Venizeleio hospital in Heraklion, where the body of one of the victims of the bloody attack in Borizia has been transported. According to cretalive.gr, relatives are mourning and wailing, the victim’s mother fainted, while there was also a verbal attack on police officers present at the scene.
Police platoons are outside the hospital’s emergency departments for security reasons. Seeing them, a woman from the deceased’s family reportedly shouted at them: “Why did you come now bastards, we
