Judge killed in Albania as man on trial opens fire in a crowded courtroom

Minara Helen: An Appeals Court judge has been shot dead after the man whose trial he was presiding over opened fire with a gun inside the courtroom itself, also injuring the two people standing against him in the case.

Judge Astrit Kalaja died of his injuries on the way to the hospital after the tragic incident in the Albanian capital of Tirana. The suspect was immediately arrested on the scene by the authorities. The case was reportedly over a property dispute, and the man shot the judge as he knew he was going to lose, according to local media. It comes after another tragedy as a family portrait exposes a sick secret before dad killed all 7 in a massacre. A father and son in the trial were also shot and taken to hospital, but are in a stable condition. Albania's prime minister, Edi Rama, said the event was "tragic" and called for harsher sentencing for gun-related crimes.

Bajram Begaj, the country's president, added that it was "a terrible attack against the entire justice system!" Police said they have arrested a suspect who has only been identified by the initials "E Sh". The suspect's uncle and the court's security guard have also been arrested, it is understood.

The leader of the opposition Democratic Party, Sali Berisha, said Mr Kalaja's murder marked the first time in 35 years that a judge had been murdered "while doing his duty". "Today is the day for a deep reflection by all Albanian society," he added. Judge Kalaja spent three decades working as a lawyer - he was appointed to Tirana's Court of Appeal in 2019.

Under Albanian law, illegal possession of a firearm is punishable by a three year prison sentence. In Albania, there were 213 firearm incidents in the first six months of this year, according to data from the South Eastern and Eastern Europe Clearinghouse for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (SEESAC). While the tragic incident is a first in over three decades for Albania, a similar attack happened in Italy.

In 2015, a man on trial for bankruptcy shot dead a judge, a lawyer and his co-defendant. The brutal murders took place in Milan's Palace of Justice courthouse.

Claudio Giardiello then hid in the building for over an hour before he escaped on a motorbike. He travelled 15 miles before the police caught and arrested him.

BP/CS