The body of a 20-year-old Frenchman was found this morning in the coastal area of Ksamil, after a conflict that allegedly began in one of the nightclubs in the area and ended with his stabbing death.
The victim, Miguel Mendes, a French citizen, was in Ksamil on vacation. A client at the "Principotes" club, he allegedly got into a conflict with one of the club's employees.
This is Sokrat Vata, 29 years old, who worked as a bodyguard at the club and has now been arrested by the police as a suspect in the murder of the French tourist.
After the incident, Vata allegedly left the area and was sought. A few hours later, he was caught at a checkpoint in Levan.
The 29-year-old was hiding in the trunk of a vehicle, as shown in the footage above. Officers stopped the vehicle, which was being driven by two Turkish citizens, and during the search, they discovered the suspect, who ended up in handcuffs.
Fight in the club, then murder
According to preliminary investigation data, the conflict between the 20-year-old Frenchman and the club's bodyguard is suspected to have started within the "Principate" premises.
It is still unclear what caused the fight, but initial reports suggest that the fight was sparked by a girl being harassed. The fight escalated and ended outside the bar, where the French tourist was stabbed.
Miguel Mendes was later found lifeless on the beach of Ksamil.
Police surrounded the scene and the investigation team began collecting evidence and taking testimonies. Part of the investigation is expected to be footage from security cameras at the club and the surrounding area, which could help in reconstructing the conflict minute by minute.
Following his arrest, Sokrat Vata is expected to be questioned by investigators to give his version of events. The investigation should also determine the motive for the conflict, the exact dynamics of the murder, and whether there are other people who knew or were involved in the events.
Shocked vacationers
The murder has caused shock among vacationers in Ksamil, especially families in the area with children.
"It's a serious incident, we're on vacation with the children. How can we tell them that someone has been killed? They'll be scared," said one of the vacationers.
Another vacationer called the event painful and unacceptable.
"We are very sorry that this happened. This is a crime," he said./ Lapsi.al
