The gunman’s motive remains unclear.

Published On 28 Apr 2026

Greek police have arrested an 89-year-old man in connection with a double shooting in Athens that left five people injured.

The suspect was detained on Tuesday in the city of Patra, more than 200 kilometres (124 miles) west of the capital, following a large manhunt. The suspect had allegedly begun the shooting spree as he opened fire inside a social security agency in the district of Kerameikos in the centre of Athens.

The attacker reportedly told an employee “to duck” before firing a shot that struck an employee of the state pension organisation EFKA in the leg.

The head of the National Social Security Fund, Alexandros Varveris, told ERT Radio that the gunman had been wearing a trench coat under which he had hidden the shotgun.

The pensioner then travelled by taxi to a nearby court in Ambelokipi, where four people were injured.

The head of the Athens Judicial Employees Union, Stratis Dounias, said initial information indicated that the man had fired at the floor inside one of the offices in the court building.

The motive for the shootings has yet to be established, but the suspect reportedly threw envelopes containing documents on the floor of the court after opening fire, claiming they explained the reasons for his actions.

The attacker then fled the scene, leaving behind a shotgun. He was later arrested in a hotel, during which a second weapon was ⁠found, local media reported.

The media ⁠identified the suspect as a rubbish collector from the Athens area. The AFP news agency reported he had psychological issues, having been treated at a mental hospital in 2018

Gun violence in Greece is rare, with firearm ownership permitted but tightly regulated.

Athens court staff announced a 24-hour strike on Wednesday in protest at the incident, which they blamed on poor security at court buildings.