What we know about John Agius, the man arrested over police shooting
Residents describe him as quiet but volatile man who had objected to neighbouring construction
Updated 5pm
The man arrested over the shooting of two police officers on Friday morning has been identified locally as pensioner John Agius, who residents described as a quiet but volatile man who had objected to neighbouring building work.
Agius, who is aged in his 70s and known by neighbours as Johnny tal-għalqa [Johnny of the field] is being questioned over the shooting of officers Johann Vella and Omar Sharif as well as an earlier arson incident.
He was arrested following the shooting in Triq Joseph Carbone, in Ta’ Giorni.
Residents told Times of Malta he was a familiar figure in the area and was often seen spending time where the incident took place.
Several people who spoke to Times of Malta described Agius as a quiet man who generally kept to himself, although some said he was known to be volatile.
One resident said he was a “bit of a loner”.
A resident who has lived in the area for more than 15 years said he was not “anyway surprised” by the incident. The resident claimed Agius, who is believed to be a hunter, would sometimes “lose it and come out with a gun”, although he had previously stopped short of using it.
Another resident said they had previously been involved in an incident with Agius. Although they did not want to provide details, they said when they spoke to police they were warned that he could become aggressive.
According to court documents, Agius owns a property a street away from the field where the shooting took place.
The shooting followed a confrontation at a nearby construction site.
Planning Authority documents show that he had objected to the dismantling of a boundary wall between his property and the site.
A method statement for the works filed in 2024 noted that Agius was "not in agreement" with a proposal to dismantle and reconstruct a common party wall.
Agius and another man, who has not been identified, allegedly approached the site. One of the men then set fire to material beneath construction workers who were operating above ground, apparently amid anger over the ongoing works.
The Malta Police Union issued an urgent appeal for blood donations following the incident.