Ta' Giorni shooting: two officers injured, shooter under arrest

Updated 2.26pm

A man has been arrested after shooting at two police officers in the Ta’ Giorni area of San Ġwann on Friday morning.

The incident unfolded in Triq Joseph Carbone, close to The Malta Independent’s offices.

According to initial reports, two men, both Maltese nationals, approached the construction site and one of them set fire to material beneath workers who were operating above ground, apparently amid anger over the ongoing construction works.

An armed officer at the scene of the incident. Photo: Chris Sant Fournier

One man fled the scene on a motorbike but was later intercepted and arrested. The other remained at the site.

When police officers arrived, the armed man opened fire, injuring two officers.

A police spokesperson said one officer was in a “very serious condition” after being shot in the face and neck. The condition of the second injured officer was not immediately known.

The man has now been arrested after a tense hours-long operation.

Updating the press following the arrest, the spokesperson said police negotiators had succeeded in convincing the man to surrender. 

He added that the other officer who was hurt had suffered slight injuries. 

"The arsonist set fire to the property before moving to another building, where the shooting took place."

Earlier, armed officers and marksmen were positioned at street level and on nearby rooftops. Officers then converged on the property, with the cordon around the scene expanding further.

Construction workers at the site appeared visibly shaken and told Times of Malta that a fire had been lit beneath them.

Officers with firearms converge on the site. Photo: Chris Sant Fournier

The crane driver said he had been communicating with workers inside the crane's basket when they urgently told him to lift them higher because a man was setting fire to the ground below.

“When I lowered them onto the street, we started hearing gunshots,” he said, describing the scene as chaotic.

He said it was his first day working at the site and that he was not aware of any dispute involving the landowners.

Residents who have lived in the area for decades said they were not surprised by the incident, alleging that the suspected shooter had previously used a shotgun to threaten people.

They believed he was angered by the construction works taking place nearby.

Several roads surrounding the site were closed as the police operation continued, and motorists were urged to avoid the area.

Magistrate Joe Mifsud was onsite and has opened an inquiry.

Solidarity messages

Home Affairs Minister Glenn Bedingfield said his thoughts were with the injured officers and their families. He thanked the police for their "extraordinary" work.

Prime Minister Robert Abela echoed the sentiments, adding that now that the suspect had been apprehended, justice could be done.

Expressing the Nationalist Party's solidarity with the injured police officers, the Shadow Minister for Home Affairs Conrad Borg Manchè said he hoped the situation "is resolved as quickly as possible". 

Momentum said this incident was "a reminder of the risks that police officers and other emergency responders sometimes face while protecting the public."

"Their commitment to serving the community deserves our respect and gratitude," Momentum said in a statement.