A judge was shot and killed during a trial at the Court of Appeal in Tirana, Albania. Judge Astrit Kalaja succumbed to his injuries while being transported to a hospital. Two other individuals involved in the hearing—a father and son—sustained non-life-threatening injuries from the gunfire.
Police have arrested a 30-year-old male suspect identified by the initials “E Sh,” who has been named by local media as Elvis Shkëmbi. Reports indicate that the suspect opened fire in anticipation of losing a case related to a property dispute. Following the incident, Albania’s Prime Minister Edi Rama expressed condolences to Judge Kalaja’s family and called for a severe legal response to the aggression against the judge. He also advocated for enhanced security measures in courts and stricter penalties for illegal weapon possession.
Sali Berisha, leader of the opposition Democratic Party, recognized this event as the first murder of a judge “while doing his duty” in 35 years, urging society to reflect on the implications of the incident. In addition to the primary suspect, reports mention that Shkëmbi’s uncle and the court’s security guard have also been arrested in connection with the shooting.
While firearm attacks on judges in courtrooms are uncommon, they have occurred historically, such as in a case in Milan a decade ago where a judge was killed by a man involved in a bankruptcy trial. Judge Kalaja had over 30 years of legal experience, having transitioned from a district court to the Court of Appeal in 2019.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cx25zvy78ldo?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss