An 89-year-old man armed with a shotgun opened fire at two separate government buildings in Athens, Greece, wounding multiple employees before fleeing the scene and abandoning his weapon. The shocking rampage targeted workers at a social security office and a courthouse, leaving authorities scrambling to apprehend the elderly suspect.
Attack Unfolds at Social Security Office
The violence began when the suspect entered a social security office in the Kerameikos neighborhood of central Athens. Witnesses reported the man wore a trench coat concealing a shotgun as he rode the elevator to the fourth floor. Once there, he shouted at one employee to duck before firing at another worker, striking him in the leg. Police officers arriving at the scene applied a tourniquet to stop the bleeding before transporting the wounded employee to a hospital. The gunman escaped before authorities could apprehend him.
Alexandros Varveris, head of the National Social Security Fund, told state radio that the shooting appeared random rather than targeted. The wounded employee seemed to be in the wrong place at the wrong time when the elderly gunman raised his weapon and fired. Medical crews stabilized the victim at the scene before rushing him to emergency treatment.
Gunman, reportedly age 89, opens fire at 2 locations in Greek capital, wounding several people A gunman opened fire at a social security office and at a courthouse in central Athens on Tuesday, wounding several people, Greek authorities said. https://t.co/qjUUqbvIZS pic.twitter.com/sxeZ9rKF1d
— UnfilteredAmerica (@NahBabyNahNah) April 28, 2026
Second Attack at Athens Courthouse
The same suspect later appeared at a courthouse in another area of central Athens, where he opened fire on the ground floor. Multiple people sustained injuries in the second attack before the gunman fled once again. State television footage captured ambulance crews treating at least three victims and loading them into waiting emergency vehicles. Authorities recovered the shotgun at the courthouse scene, though the suspect remained at large as police launched a manhunt across the Greek capital.
Witnesses reported the elderly gunman threw envelopes containing documents onto the courthouse floor after the shooting. He allegedly claimed the papers explained his reasons for the attacks, though authorities have not disclosed the contents or confirmed any motive for the violence.
Rare Violence in Tightly Regulated Nation
Gun violence remains uncommon in Greece, where strict regulations govern firearm ownership. The country requires extensive licensing procedures and background checks for citizens seeking to own guns. This rarity makes the Athens shootings particularly shocking for Greek authorities and residents. The incident raises questions about how an 89-year-old man obtained a shotgun and evaded initial capture despite targeting two separate government facilities in broad daylight.