A judge was shot dead in a courtroom in Tirana, Albania, on Monday after a man on trial opened fire during a hearing. Judge Astrit Kalaja was presiding at the court of appeal when the attack occurred, according to police. The shooter was arrested shortly after fleeing the scene.
The judge was rushed to hospital but died from his injuries en route. Two other people, a father and son who were the other party in the trial, were also shot and hospitalised but are in stable condition. Local media reported the case involved a property dispute.
Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama described the incident as a “tragic event” and called for tougher sentencing for gun-related crimes, stating that such acts warrant “the most extreme legal response against the aggressor.” President Bajram Begaj condemned the shooting as “a terrible attack against the entire justice system.”
According to data from the South Eastern and Eastern Europe Clearinghouse for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons, there were 213 firearm incidents in Albania between January and June this year.
