Artan Murtaj, 44, also known as “Tani Ruzhdiu,” was sitting at a café in the center of Saranda with a friend when he was targeted in a daylight shooting, according to preliminary information from the scene.

Minutes later, Murtaj got up from the table and left the café. He had walked only a few meters when two masked men riding a motorcycle approached him and opened fire.

Murtaj was initially struck by two bullets. Although wounded, he attempted to flee on foot, but the gunmen continued shooting. He was killed at the scene near the intersection by the former agency, before the attackers fled on the motorcycle.

The shooting triggered panic in one of Saranda’s busiest areas. Several nearby businesses were also hit by bullets.

A 75-year-old man, Xhevdet Skëndaj, who happened to be in the area, was also wounded. He was initially taken for medical treatment and was later airlifted by helicopter to Tirana because of the seriousness of his condition.

Police and investigators secured evidence at the scene that could assist the investigation. Security-camera footage is expected to play a key role, as the area is covered by numerous cameras belonging to nearby businesses and establishments.

Investigators have seized footage from the surrounding area in an effort to trace the movements of the suspects before and after the shooting and identify the route they took as they fled.

Following the attack, police set up checkpoints in Saranda and along roads connecting the city with Gjirokastra. Officers carried out checks in an effort to identify and apprehend the two suspects, who remain at large.

The crime scene has been cordoned off as investigators continue working to reconstruct the circumstances surrounding the attack.

Murtaj’s mother also arrived at the scene. Witnesses described her as deeply distressed after seeing her son lying dead in the street.

Murtaj was the only son in his family. Two years ago, the family also lost a daughter.

According to police records, Murtaj had previous criminal convictions, including a conviction for theft. His name had also been linked to a July 17, 2025 shooting in Saranda in which Ernest Lama and Gëzim Hajdaraj were wounded.