Birzebbuga Drive-By murder update – What has been established so far

Police are looking for a white car and for the person/s inside who shot at three immigrants who live at the Hal Far Open Centre, killing a 42 year old Ivorian man with a gunshot to the head. Two Ghanian men were also shot at. The shooting occurred in Triq il-Ġebel, Birżebbuġia at around 11pm on Saturday evening.

TVM reports that “An immigrant from Côte d’Ivoire was killed by a gunshot to the head and two other Ghanians were seriously injured in a mysterious shooting from a car that was being driven on a deserted Hal Far street on the way to Birzebbuga. Police are still looking for the car and its driver/ passengers and have spoken to the hospitalised victims to try to establish the motive behind the shooting.”

Net News reports that the killed person is Lassibe Soulaymane.

MaltaToday  The Independent, The Times and L-Orizzont stress in their headline that the case might have been as a ‘drive-by’ shooting. Police have said that they are looking at CCTV footage in the entire Hal Far area to identify the shooter. Drive-by shootings allow the perpetrator(s) to quickly strike their target and flee the scene before law enforcement is able to respond.

The Independent quotes sources familiar with the area said the road is dark and deserted and is often used by migrants going to and from the open centre in Hal Far.

The Times reports that on Sunday evening, the police said that the murdered man was a 42-year-old from the Ivory Coast and that they were still trying to confirm the identities of the two injured men.One of them, a 22-year-old who lives in Ħal Far, was grievously hurt. The other was seriously injured in the shooting. On Sunday evening, the police said that their initial description of the second injured man as being 45 and from Georgia was mistaken, and he has yet to be identified.

In a statement, the police said officers went on site after they were notified that shots had been fired in the area. It is believed that one of the injured persons contacted the police about the incident.

On their arrival, the officers noted a man lying on the ground with injuries. An ambulance was called to take him to hospital.

On further investigation, the officers found another man who was injured, and another ambulance was called.

No motive has been established as yet.

Magistrate Dr. Rachel Montebello was informed about the case and has appointed various experts to assist her in the inquiry.