Gunman Opens Fire in Central Athens, Leaving Multiple Injured
"The suspect, an 89-year-old man, was later apprehended by police in the city of Patras."
A series of shootings occurred in central Athens on Tuesday, resulting in multiple injuries. The suspect, identified by police as an 89-year-old man, fled the capital and was later arrested at a hotel in Patras, approximately 200 kilometers west of Athens. Greek media reported he was a garbage collector from the Athens area.
Sequence of Events
The first shooting took place at a branch of the National Social Security Fund (EFKA) in the Kerameikos district. An employee was wounded in the leg after the gunman reportedly instructed the employee to duck before firing. Police applied a tourniquet to the victim's leg at the scene before he was transported to a hospital.
Following the first attack, the suspect is believed to have traveled to a courthouse in central Athens. He opened fire on the ground floor of the building, wounding several individuals. Reports indicate that three female court employees sustained minor injuries from pellets, while a fourth was hospitalized without physical injuries. After the shooting, the suspect reportedly left the shotgun at the scene along with documents and letters addressed to newspapers.
Motive and Context
The motive for the attacks remains unclear. State broadcaster ERT reported that the envelopes left at the courthouse contained documents that indicated the reasons for the gunman's actions. Police have not provided further comment on a possible motive.
Gun violence is uncommon in Greece, where firearm ownership is legal but subject to strict regulations. According to the head of the National Social Security Fund, the gunman spoke briefly before the first shooting, telling an employee to duck before firing.
"The suspect, an 89-year-old man, was later apprehended by police in the city of Patras."