Five-year-old child killed in violent attack

A 5-year-old boy was killed in a targeted ambush Friday on his family's vehicle in Markopoulo, near Athens. 

The boy's family was driving through the area when gunmen opened fire, striking the child fatally in the head. 

Authorities located 23 shell casings from two separate guns at the scene, pointing to a brutal, premeditated assault. 

The boy's parents rushed him to a nearby health center, where he was pronounced dead. 

Police have yet to determine a motive but are exploring possibilities, including a personal dispute or connections to past criminal incidents involving the family or their community. 

Law enforcement sources indicated that Athens has experienced similar violent incidents within Roma communities, where past altercations have escalated to gunfire. 

Investigators are urging anyone with information to come forward.