Man, 89, arrested over alleged shotgun attack in Athens

29 Apr 2026 • 12:48 AM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

The world’s most free-thinking newspaper

Man, 89, arrested over alleged shotgun attack in Athens

  • An 89-year-old man was arrested in Greece on Tuesday after allegedly opening fire with a shotgun at a social security office and a courthouse in central Athens, wounding at least four people.
  • The suspect first attacked a social security office, injuring an employee in the leg, before fleeing the scene.
  • He then opened fire on the ground floor of a court building, where at least three female court employees sustained slight injuries from ricocheting pellets.
  • Police located the shotgun and arrested the man near Patra, approximately 210 kilometres west of the capital.
  • The motive for the shootings remains unclear, although the gunman reportedly left documents at the courthouse explaining his actions.