An 89-year-old gunman opened fire at a social security office and a courthouse in central Athens on Tuesday, wounding several individuals, Greek authorities reported. A police operation is currently underway to locate the suspect, who according to Greek media is an elderly man.
Details of the Attack
Police stated that the suspect, armed with a shotgun, initially targeted a social security office in the center of the Greek capital, injuring an employee. When police arrived, they treated the victim, but the gunman managed to escape the scene. The same individual is believed to have subsequently opened fire on the ground floor of a court building in another part of central Athens, where several people were wounded. Authorities have since recovered the shotgun.
Footage from state broadcaster ERT showed ambulance crews transporting at least three individuals from the courthouse to waiting ambulances. The motive behind the shooting remains unclear. ERT reported that after the courthouse incident, the gunman allegedly threw envelopes containing documents onto the floor, claiming they justified his actions.
Eyewitness Account
Alexandros Varveris, head of the National Social Security Fund (EFKA), recounted that the gunman entered the social security fund's offices in the Kerameikos district, ascended to the fourth floor, and after instructing an employee to take cover, fired his weapon. The shot struck another employee in the leg. Varveris noted that the gunman wore a trenchcoat concealing the shotgun and that the target did not appear to be specifically chosen. The wounded employee was transported to a hospital after police applied a tourniquet at the scene.
Context
Gun violence is relatively uncommon in Greece, where firearm ownership is permitted but strictly regulated. The incident has shocked the nation, prompting an extensive search for the suspect.
