A 36-year-old man has been remanded in custody for eight days by Larnaca District Court after holding two women at knifepoint in their home near the town centre yesterday afternoon in a standoff that lasted over two hours.
Police were alerted at around 3:30 p.m. The suspect, who had met the two women a few months ago, arrived at their home on Synergatismou Street in an agitated state, grabbed a knife from inside the house and began shouting and threatening to kill them. At one point he held the knife to the throat of one of the women, who fell to the ground.
Larnaca CID cordoned off the area while negotiators were brought in from Nicosia and members of the Special Anti-Terrorism Unit took up concealed positions nearby. A Larnaca CID officer eventually persuaded the suspect to release one woman; the second was subsequently freed. The suspect, still in a frenzied state, was restrained and arrested. Both women were taken to Larnaca General Hospital with superficial wounds and in shock; they were discharged after treatment.
The suspect faces charges of abduction with intent to restrain, abduction with intent to cause actual bodily harm, threat of violence, assault causing actual bodily harm, psychological violence, carrying a knife, and unlawful entry.
According to police sources, the suspect has not explained why he threatened the women. He told police he is homeless and previously worked in the Famagusta district. He appears to be in Cyprus legally.
As the standoff ended, residents gathered nearby began applauding the police officers involved in freeing the two women, who live and work legally in Cyprus.
Read more: