A disgruntled former employee fatally shot the head of a Greek shipping company and two others before killing himself at the firm’s office in the capital city of Athens on Monday (Feb 12), said a police spokesperson.
What we know about the incident
Police, fire engines and ambulances were stationed outside the offices of European Navigation in Glyfada, reported Reuters.
The alleged shooter broke into the building in Glyfada, a suburb in South Athens, which reportedly belonged to a shipping company European Navigation.
The EKAM, Greece’s anti-terrorism forces, were the first to enter the building after the incident, at around 11:15 am (local time), reported the Greek newspaper Proto Thema.
Two men and a woman were killed before the shooter barricaded himself inside, reported the news agency AFP citing sources.
Police spokeswoman Konstantina Dimoglidou said the owner of European Product Carriers was among those killed. The gunman, the 76-year-old former employee was later found dead in another area of the building, said the police.
The alleged shooter “was the weapon of his unlawful act and he had probably shot himself,” said Dimoglidou. The police also found two women, unharmed, who had been locked in a bathroom during the attack.
“We were at our desks working, we heard shots,” an employee who did not identify herself told the Proto Thema. She also said that the gunman had told employees to leave.
About the gunman
The gunman, according to Greek media reports, was an Egyptian national and had been terminated from his position at the firm.
The police have not disclosed the name of the company involved or the identity of the victims and the alleged perpetrator.
“The suspected perpetrator, who worked for the family, was found dead in a different area from the three deceased people at the company,” said Dimoglidou.
She added, “He had his assault weapon next to him and appears to have shot himself in the head.”
The officials in Greece have cordoned off the area and said they were investigating the incident.
Shootings, outside of gang-related activity, are rare in Greece due to the country’s strict laws over gun possession.
(With inputs from agencies)
