Greece: Roma teenager dies after police shooting

A Roma boy from the Greek city of Thessaloniki died in the hospital on Tuesday, a week after he was shot by a police officer. The attack on 16-year-old Kostas Fragoulis has ignited protests against police brutality and reinvigorated debate about anti-Roma prejudice in Greece, particularly within the security services.

A police officer chased Fragoulis in the early hours of December 5, claiming the victim had filled up his pickup truck with €20 ($21) of gas and left without paying.

The officer is currently under house arrest pending an investigation. He has claimed he shot the teen over fear for his colleagues' lives after Fragoulis tried to ram their motorcycles with his vehicle.

'Everyone is crying'

But the Roma community and their supporters have said that the boy was a victim of long-standing bigotry.

"Everyone here is crying. It is unjust for a child to leave like this,'' said Antonis Tasios, secretary of the Roma community where the teenager lived, confirming his death. "We are feeling great pain.''

Demosthenes Pakos, the president of the Athens' police association, called on officers to receive more training and for the public to allow the justice system to deal with the officer involved.

He denied, however, that prejudice led to Fragoulis' death, telling public broadcaster ERT that people who claimed that the teen died because he was Roma were "trying to create tension."

Prosecutors have said they are looking to possibly level charges of manslaughter against the officer in addition to a misdemeanor weapons violation.

es/dj (AP, dpa)