Gunman, 89, arrested after five wounded in Athens shootings

Media says he left his weapon and some letters at the scene, before fleeing on foot

Police officers walk outside the Athens’ Court of Appeal following a shooting incident that left several wounded, in Athens, Greece, Apr 28, 2026. Sotiris Dimitropoulos/Eurokinissi via REUTERS

Police arrested an 89-year-old suspected of wounding five people in two separate gun attacks in Athens on Tuesday, the Greek citizens' protection ministry said.

A man opened fire with a shotgun at a branch of Greece’s EFKA social security agency, wounding an employee in the leg, police said.

The gunman then travelled by taxi to a court building, where he fired several shots inside, lightly wounding four female court clerks, according to police, court officials and the judiciary employees' union.

The gunman left the shotgun at the scene, along with letters addressed to newspapers, and fled on foot, media reported.

During the arrest, a second weapon was found, local media reported. Media identified the suspect as a garbage collector from the Athens area.

Police have not commented on a possible motive.

The man was arrested in a hotel in Patras, some 200 km from Athens.