ATHENS – Seven Greek motorcycle police officers charged with murder for shooting an 18-year-old man after a car chase said it was in self defense and that he tried to run them down.

The officers, who weren’t identified, said they acted within the law in the shooting that also wounded a 15-year-old who escaped and later turned himself in.

They were to appear before an investigative magistrate but said that the driver was trying to kill them with the vehicle and rammed all five of the motorcycles on which they were riding, said Kathimerini.

“At that moment, fearing for the life of my colleague, I pulled out my service pistol and fired once, aiming at the rear tires of the car in order to stop it. Fearing it would hit a colleague, the other police officers also shot,” said one of the officers.

Of the 10 officers involved in the pursuit, seven used their service weapons, the report said. The parents of the man who was fatally shot testified before a magistrate earlier and their lawyers also submitted a memorandum.