Three individuals in the Albanian capital Tirana have been apprehended following an incident where a defendant fatally shot a judge within a courtroom on just yesterday, according to law enforcement.
A Judge – Astrit Kalaja was overseeing a hearing regarding a property dispute at the Tirana Court of Appeal when the individual fired upon him with a pistol. The incident was reported by the authorities.
Kalaja succumbed to his injuries while being transported to a medical facility.
The assailant also wounded two other participants in the hearing, a father and son, according to police. They were subsequently admitted to a hospital, and their injuries were not considered life-threatening.
The suspect—identified by authorities only by the initials E Sh—was detained shortly after the incident, according to reports. News outlets later disclosed his full name as Elvis Shkambi.
Fear of losing the case made him lose his clout, local media stated.
The man’s uncle was also taken into custody, along with a security guard at the court, as noted by police.
The security guard allegedly failed to conduct a physical search of the defendant or his uncle despite triggering the metal detector upon entering the courtroom, according to the authorities.
Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama described the incident on Monday as a “tragic event” and advocated for more stringent sentencing for firearm-related offenses.
According to him, “The criminal aggression against the judge undeniably necessitates the most severe legal repercussions against the perpetrator.”
On his part, Albania’s President Bajram Begaj denounced the assault in a declaration as “a horrific attack against the entire justice system. “
Colleagues of the slain Judge Kalaja laid flowers at the crime scene on Tuesday in a poignant gesture to commemorate his memory.
The incident happened at the Tirana Court of Appeal.
