Police question suspects as shot businessman remains critical

MaltaToday is informed that at least five people have been arrested and interrogated in connection with the shooting, however investigators are still in the dark over possible motives.

Police are waiting for Baldacchino to recover from his serious injuries so he could be able to talk and possibly give details into what happened in Valletta yesterday, and if he recognised anything about his assailant.

54 year-old Joseph Baldacchino from Zurrieq sustained grievious injuries to vital organs when he was chased through two car parks by his assailant riding a motorcycle who reportedly zig-zagged through the myriad of cars, until he took his shot and scrambled away when a car arrived to park.

According to witnesses, the gunman who looked  young and thin was noticed since early morning in the vicinity of the House of Four Winds near Hastings Gardens where the victim usually parked his car almost every morning.

Wearing a black helmet and dark tight-fitted jacket, the gunman was said to have called Baldacchino’s name as soon as he locked his Toyota Land Cruiser in the lower car park at Hastings.

As soon as the gunman unzipped his jacket and extracted a gun, Baldacchino fled on foot and jumped towards the upper car park opposite Giannini’s Restaurant where he hit between two parked cars, until he was seen by the gunman who took his shot, apparently from close range.

According to eyewitnesses, when the gunman chased his victim, he drove the motorcycle through a gap in fence, leaving his license plate behind.

Caught in an apparent panic when a car drove into the area to find a parking spot, the gunman took his shot and fled the scene.

Joe Baldacchino called for help and was immediately assisted by passers-by while police arrived on the scene soon after.

While paramedics were quick to arrive with an ambulance who assisted Baldacchino on site, he was administered CPR and given intravenous to keep him conscious and was seen speaking to police officers.

Before being put into the ambulance, Joe Baldacchino was seen lifting his right arm.

While police cars blocked all main exits from Valletta, there was no sign of the motorcycle, however a quick run on the plate left on the scene resulted in a stolen motorbike almost a month ago from Marsa.

A bullet casing was also elevated from the scene of the crime and is currently being examined by forensic experts who were also seen elevating tyre and shoe marks, cigarette butts and other evidence from walls and areas where the assailant was apparently waiting for his victim.

Investigators are reportedly in the dark about possible motives behind the attempted murder of Joe Baldacchino, who is known to be a quiet man who does business with a lot of people.

His business interests vary from owning a woodworks factory, to real estate projects, to entertainment venues and owner of the San Lawrenz Resort in Gozo.

Police are said to have also looked into a rumored quarrel he had with a former business partner, but so far no leads have proved to yield any results.

According to one senior police source, Baldacchino is a victim of a commissioned crime, and the assailant was hired to carry out the job.

Baldacchino, a father of five children, was until late last night in a critical condition and was operated upon twice, after doctors found that the bullet caused a serious trauma to his vital organs.

Due to his serious injuries, hospital authorities issued an urgent appeal for donors to donate O’ Positive blood, to the extent that the blood bank was kept open until late in the evening.