Greek police have arrested an 89-year-old man in connection with two shootings at government buildings in Athens on Tuesday, in which five people were left with non-life-threatening injuries. The suspect was detained at a hotel near the bus station in Patras, a port city roughly 200 kilometres west of the Greek capital, reportedly while attempting to flee to Italy. He was found carrying a loaded .38 calibre revolver at the time of his arrest, having already used a shotgun in the attacks.

The incident began when a gunman entered a social security office in the Kerameikos neighbourhood of central Athens, concealing a shotgun beneath a long coat, and opened fire, wounding a female employee in the leg. Witnesses told Greek media that the shot appeared unintentional — the man had been threatening another staff member when the victim was struck. Surveillance footage broadcast by Greek state broadcaster ERT showed the suspect leaving the building on foot without concealing his face and without being stopped. He then reportedly took a taxi approximately five kilometres to an appeals court in the Ambelokipi district, where he entered a courtroom while it was in session, opened fire, and wounded four court employees — all women — before fleeing, leaving the shotgun behind. According to witnesses, he also threw documents onto the courtroom floor, saying: "This explains why I did this."

Following the shootings, a nationwide manhunt was launched. The suspect was ultimately identified after his niece contacted authorities, having recognised him in footage circulated during the search. Greek media reported that the man had a history of mental illness and had been involved in a dispute with authorities over a pension application that had been rejected.

The attacks have prompted sharp criticism of security arrangements at public institutions. The Greek association of judges and prosecutors said the assault had exposed, "in the worst possible way," the absence of adequate security measures in public buildings. A senior official representing court employees revealed that X-ray scanning machines had been purchased for courthouse security seven years ago but remained unused due to a lack of trained staff. Court officials warned that cases involving debt and asset confiscation — increasingly common in Greece — were generating significant anger among members of the public.

Gun violence is rare in Greece, where firearm ownership is permitted but heavily regulated. The country endured one of Europe's most severe debt crises in the 2010s, and many Greeks — particularly older citizens on lower wages and pensions — continue to face financial hardship amid rising living costs. The broader context of economic grievance and inadequate institutional security has added weight to calls for urgent reform of public building safety.