A judge in Albania has been shot dead after a man opened fire during a trial at the Court of Appeal in the capital Tirana. Judge Astrit Kalaja died en route to hospital, officials said, while two others involved in the hearing over a property dispute - a father and son - were shot but sustained injuries that were not life-threatening. Police reported the arrest of a 30-year-old male suspect identified by the initials 'E Sh', but Albanian media named him as Elvis Shkëmbi.
Albania's Prime Minister Edi Rama offered his condolences to Judge Kalaja's family, emphasizing that the criminal aggression against the judge required the most extreme legal response toward the aggressor. He also called for stricter security measures in the country's courts and harsher penalties for illegal weapon possession. The leader of the opposition Democratic Party, Sali Berisha, noted that this murder marked the first time in 35 years that a judge had been killed while fulfilling his duties, calling for deep reflection within Albanian society.
Reports suggest that the shooter acted out of fear of losing the case. Additionally, Shkëmbi's uncle and the court's security guard have also been reportedly arrested following the incident. While firearm attacks on judges are rare, they can occur, as seen in a case from a decade ago when a judge in Milan was killed during a bankruptcy trial. Judge Kalaja was a lawyer for over 30 years and had been serving at Tirana's Court of Appeal since 2019.
Albania's Prime Minister Edi Rama offered his condolences to Judge Kalaja's family, emphasizing that the criminal aggression against the judge required the most extreme legal response toward the aggressor. He also called for stricter security measures in the country's courts and harsher penalties for illegal weapon possession. The leader of the opposition Democratic Party, Sali Berisha, noted that this murder marked the first time in 35 years that a judge had been killed while fulfilling his duties, calling for deep reflection within Albanian society.
Reports suggest that the shooter acted out of fear of losing the case. Additionally, Shkëmbi's uncle and the court's security guard have also been reportedly arrested following the incident. While firearm attacks on judges are rare, they can occur, as seen in a case from a decade ago when a judge in Milan was killed during a bankruptcy trial. Judge Kalaja was a lawyer for over 30 years and had been serving at Tirana's Court of Appeal since 2019.
