A 65-year-old man was shot dead inside his vehicle on Thursday morning in Ndërfushas, Mirditë, in northern Albania, police said.

Authorities identified the victim as Viktor Bardhi, who was found dead in his car at around 9 a.m. Investigators believe he was killed with a firearm before the perpetrators fled the scene.

Police later found a burned vehicle in the Ndërfushas area, which they suspect may have been used in the attack and deliberately set on fire to destroy evidence.

Investigators and forensic teams remain at the scene as authorities work to identify those responsible and establish the full circumstances of the killing.

Police have not confirmed a motive, but the investigation is reportedly examining a possible long-running blood feud involving the Bardhi family, also known by the surname Marku, and the Reçi family in the Mirditë area.

The killing follows a series of violent incidents involving members of the Bardhi family. Viktor’s brother, Martin Bardhi, was shot dead in September 2023, shortly after being released from prison. In January 2025, another member of the family, Kristian Marku, also known as Kristjan Bardhi, was targeted in an attempted attack.

The alleged feud between the Bardhi-Marku and Reçi families dates back decades, with several shootings and killings reported since the 1990s. Authorities have previously investigated members of both families in connection with violent incidents, although the circumstances and responsibility for the latest killing remain under investigation.