Shooting Incident in Athens Government Buildings

On Tuesday, an 89-year-old man reportedly opened fire in two government buildings in Athens, injuring at least four individuals in an incident that has raised concerns about Greece’s strict gun laws. The gunman was apprehended after hours of chaos.

According to police, the suspect first entered a Social Security office, made his way to the fourth floor, and began shooting, hitting an employee in the leg. Notably, the gunman warned one person to duck before firing, though it seemed he wasn’t specifically targeting them.

Alexandros Barberis, the head of Greece’s National Social Security Fund, described the scene on state radio, saying, “He went inside, went up to the fourth floor, raised a shotgun and told the employee to duck down and shot another gun.”

The injured employee received treatment at the location, but the assailant fled and then opened fire again in a courthouse elsewhere in the city, resulting in additional injuries.

Authorities reported that at least three women, all of whom were court employees, sustained minor injuries from stray bullets, while another woman was taken to the hospital as a precautionary measure.

Local media aired surveillance footage that showed a man carrying what looked like a short-barreled shotgun walking calmly down the street.

The suspect was later arrested after fleeing to the area around Patras, which is about 210 miles west of Athens. Police also recovered the weapon there.

The motive for the attack is still unclear, but reports indicate that the man had left behind a document in court outlining his grievances.