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An 89-year-old man allegedly opened fire inside two government buildings in Athens on Tuesday, injuring at least four people in a rare act of violence that shook Greece’s typically strict gun regulations. The incident ended with the suspect’s arrest several hours later.
According to police, the gunman first entered a social security office and proceeded to the fourth floor, where he fired a shotgun, hitting an employee in the leg. Officials noted that the shooter warned one worker to take cover before firing, suggesting he did not specifically target the injured individual.
Alexandros Varveris, head of Greece’s National Social Security Fund, told state broadcaster ERT radio, “He went in, went up to the fourth floor, raised his shotgun, told an employee to duck and hit another one.”
The wounded man received treatment on-site, but the suspect fled and subsequently opened fire again inside a courthouse located in another part of Athens, wounding several more people.
Authorities reported that at least three women, all court employees, sustained minor injuries from ricocheting pellets. Additionally, a fourth woman was reportedly hospitalized as a precaution.
Local media broadcast surveillance footage showing a man calmly walking down a street carrying what appeared to be a short-barreled shotgun.
Police apprehended the suspect near Patra, roughly 130 miles west of Athens, and recovered the weapon used in the shootings.
While the motive remains unclear, state media indicated that the man left documents at the courthouse detailing his grievances. Investigations are ongoing.