An 89-year-old man carried out two shooting attacks in central Athens on Monday morning, wounding five people in total before fleeing both scenes. A large police operation is under way to locate and arrest him.
The first attack took place at 10.30am at the offices of social insurance body EFKA on Keiriädon Street in Kerameikos, where the man entered the ground floor armed with a hunting carbine and opened fire, wounding one employee in the leg. Police officers applied a tourniquet at the scene to stop the bleeding before the victim was transferred by ambulance to the Red Cross Hospital.
The suspect then fled and carried out a second attack shortly afterwards at the Court of Appeal building onLoukareos Street in Ampelokipoi, where he again opened fire with the carbine, wounding three women, fortunately with minor injuries. He left the weapon at the scene and fled once more.
According to information released by police, the man is a well-known ragpicker in the Votanikos area of Athens, has a history of psychological problems and has previously been treated in a psychiatric clinic.
Labour Minister Niki Kerameus, speaking from Istanbul where she was attending an OECD ministerial conference on skills, said she had been informed of the attack and was in continuous contact with the EFKA director and her deputy minister, who travelled to the scene. She subsequently confirmed she had spoken directly with the wounded employee, describing him as fortunately in good condition and receiving all necessary care. "He has the support and best wishes of all of us," she said.
Source: AMNA