A 40-year-old man, Aleksandër Koçeku, was killed in an attack involving 25 rounds from an automatic weapon in the Karma e Kirit area, on the mountainous Kir-Prekal road. According to investigators’ preliminary version, the perpetrators are suspected of having carefully chosen the crime scene, on a stretch with little traffic and no security cameras, once again raising questions about solving serious incidents in remote areas.
What is known so far about the attack
According to the information available so far, Koçeku was shot with a burst of 25 rounds from an automatic weapon, all fired from the same gun. He was found dead inside his vehicle by a passerby, who alerted police.
According to the investigative team, the 40-year-old had been ambushed and then executed with automatic gunfire. At this stage, the perpetrators have not been publicly identified by the authorities.
An area without cameras and with little traffic
The killing took place on a mountainous road segment with very limited vehicle movement and no security cameras. From the circumstances reported so far, the location appears to have been chosen to reduce the chance of the attack failing and to make it harder to trace the perpetrators.
This is an element that further weighs on the effectiveness of control and monitoring on such routes, where serious incidents are often investigated with limited evidence and few direct witnesses.
The main lead, according to the investigation: revenge
According to sources close to the investigation, the initial inquiries have focused on a blood-feud revenge motive. Family members have said that Aleksandër Koçeku had been living under the threat of revenge since 2017.
According to the same sources, the main lead is linked to the killing of Angjelin Shkambi in 2017, a case for which the victim’s brother, Artan Koçeku, is serving a prison sentence. Family members suspect that the latest attack may have been carried out as an act of revenge for that crime.
Another open case at the Shkodra Prosecutor’s Office
Aleksandër Koçeku was also under investigation by the Shkodra Prosecutor’s Office in the case concerning the killing of 19-year-old Pavlin Preka. According to published information, the investigation deadlines for that case had been extended only a few days earlier.
At this stage, there is no official notice directly linking that case to the attack in Dukagjin. However, the fact that the victim was also under investigation makes the case more complex and increases interest in the direction the investigation will take.
So far, the authorities have not publicly presented any suspected names or other operational details about the execution in Kir-Prekal.
The incident once again draws attention to unresolved conflicts and weaknesses in investigations in areas where the lack of surveillance and poor security infrastructure leave attacks to rely on silence, terrain, and timing.