Athens
An 89-year-old man has been arrested in Greece after carrying out two shooting incidents in Athens that left five people injured. Authorities say the suspect acted out of frustration with public services, highlighting concerns over systemic inefficiencies and security gaps.
The incident unfolded on Tuesday when the elderly gunman first targeted a branch of Greece’s EFKA social security agency in Athens. Armed with a shotgun, he opened fire inside the premises, injuring an employee in the leg. Following the initial attack, the suspect fled the scene and took a taxi to a nearby court building, where he fired multiple shots, wounding four female court clerks. All injuries reported were non-life-threatening.
Police later tracked down and arrested the suspect at a hotel in the city of Patras, located approximately 200 kilometers from Athens. Authorities moved swiftly to detain him, bringing an end to a sequence of events that had caused alarm across the region.
According to his lawyer, Vassilis Noulezas, the man’s actions were driven by “protest and despair” over his experience with public institutions. The suspect had reportedly worked for four decades as an engineer in Chicago before returning to Greece. He had recently applied for a supplementary pension, but his request was denied, which may have contributed to his frustration. The lawyer also revealed that the man had previously been hospitalized at a psychiatric clinic in Athens.
On Wednesday, a public prosecutor formally charged the suspect with attempted murder and illegal possession of a firearm. The case has sparked broader discussions about the efficiency of public services and the adequacy of security measures in government buildings.
Citizen Protection Minister Michalis Chrysochoidis acknowledged that there were security shortcomings in some court facilities, although he maintained that Greece remains a safe country overall. Meanwhile, EFKA employees staged a walkout to protest the incident, describing it as a reflection of growing public frustration with understaffed and overburdened services.