The General Police Director Skënder Hita has arrived in Saranda following the fatal shooting of 44-year-old Artan Myrtaj, who was killed in the center of the southern coastal city on Sunday.

Myrtaj was shot multiple times by two masked men who allegedly approached him on a motorcycle and opened fire. A passerby, identified as Xhevdet Skëndaj, was also wounded in the shooting.

During a meeting with local police, Hita ordered a swift and thorough investigation into the killing, as well as a broader review of criminal activity in Saranda and the surrounding area.

He called for the identification of ongoing conflicts, individuals with criminal records and criminal groups operating in the area, while stressing that police should also investigate unsolved crimes from previous years.

“With the tourist season almost over, our focus will be on intensifying investigations into criminal incidents, including those that occurred in previous years,” Hita said.

Police have deployed drones to conduct searches across areas of Saranda and nearby Delvina. Investigators, under the direction of the prosecution, are continuing to collect evidence as they work to establish the circumstances and motive behind the killing.

The investigation remains ongoing.