Serious questions have been raised about the responsiveness of state authorities after an 89-year-old man moved undetected for hours through central Athens on Tuesday, armed with a shotgun and a revolver, shooting five people in two separate locations before being arrested nearly seven hours later in Patras.
The suspect was eventually located and arrested at around 4:30 p.m. in a hotel in Patras, still carrying a loaded .38 revolver. Authorities say he had planned to travel to Italy and had already purchased a ticket.
He is set to appear before a prosecutor on Wednesday.
Two attacks in central Athens
The incident began shortly after 10:00 a.m., when the man entered the offices of Greece’s social security agency, EFKA, in the Kerameikos district. Wearing a dark coat and a flat cap, he carried a shotgun concealed in a bag.
He proceeded to the fourth floor and opened fire, injuring an employee in the leg. The victim, reportedly close to retirement, later described the moment: “I am shocked by what happened. I came to work and found myself shot in the leg. Fortunately, I am out of danger.”
Police arrived shortly afterward, but the attacker had already fled. Officers provided first aid until emergency services transported the injured worker to hospital.
A short time later, the gunman reached the Court of First Instance, approximately five kilometers away, without being intercepted. He entered the building, moved through corridors and opened fire again, injuring four women.
Before leaving, he abandoned the shotgun along with three envelopes containing letters, telling employees: “Here you will find the answers.” The incident caused panic inside the courthouse.
Injuries and emergency response
All five inured individuals—the EFKA employee and four women from the courthouse—were taken to the Red Cross hospital with pellet wounds. Authorities said the employee’s condition was more serious, though not life-threatening.
Police launched a large-scale search operation, deploying forces across roads, train stations and intercity bus terminals as the suspect remained unaccounted for.
Motive and planning under investigation
According to initial findings, the man had an ongoing dispute with EFKA over a pension payment of around €100 that he believed he was owed. Officials say he was already receiving two pensions: approximately €2,500 from the United States and a smaller amount from Germany.
Investigators believe the attacks were premeditated. Surveillance footage shows the suspect the day before in the Patissia area, where he visited a mini market and called a radio taxi for the following morning, requesting transport to Kerameikos.
Authorities have reconstructed his route: he departed from Ano Patissia, traveled to Kerameikos and then to the courthouse, before ultimately making his way to Patras.
The man’s arrest in Patras brought an end to what authorities describe as an unprecedented case. Footage obtained by broadcaster MEGA captured the moment police apprehended him at the hotel.
The case has prompted scrutiny over how an armed individual was able to move across the capital, carry out two shootings and evade immediate capture in one of the city’s busiest areas.
