An 89-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of shooting and wounding several people in attacks on government buildings in Athens. The suspect, who reportedly has a history of mental illness and had recently been rejected for a state pension, was detained in the western port city of Patras while allegedly attempting to flee to Italy. His arrest followed a countrywide manhunt.
Details of the Attacks
The attacks unfolded on Tuesday when a gunman walked into a social security office and opened fire with what appeared to be an antiquated shotgun, injuring a female employee in the leg. Shortly after, a second assault occurred at an appeals court, where a man fitting the same description entered a chamber while in session and opened fire, lightly wounding four court officials. The court building was immediately evacuated, but the gunman managed to flee the scene before being apprehended later.
Suspect's Background
Greece's state-run television channel ERT reported that a relative had contacted the broadcaster to say that the suspect had a history of mental illness and had been angered by the rejection of his application for a state pension. The suspect was reportedly armed when detained, according to a police source.
Security Concerns Raised
The attacks have shocked a nation unaccustomed to gun violence. Judicial authorities criticized the Greek government for inadequate security measures that allowed the gunman to enter the courthouse unnoticed. The Greek association of judges and prosecutors issued a statement saying the attack “demonstrated in the worst possible way the absence of appropriate security measures” in a public building of an EU member state used daily.
Sotiris Tripolitsiotis, general secretary of the association of court employees of Athens, highlighted that X-ray machines purchased to boost courthouse security remained “unused” seven years after acquisition due to a lack of properly trained staff. “No one coming into the courts can really be checked,” he told the Greek daily Kathimerini. He added that the government had been urged to step up security because courts were increasingly hearing confiscation and debt cases that could make people “angry and violent.”
Broader Context
Greece endured one of Europe's worst debt crises until near-empty state coffers were rebalanced after nearly a decade of tough austerity. Poorer Greeks on wages and pensions that remain lower than other parts of the EU still struggle to make ends meet amid rising living costs.
