Judge shot dead during court hearing in Albania
A judge in Albania has been killed after a gunman opened fire during an appeals hearing.
Judge Astrit Kalaja was overseeing a property dispute when the attacker, identified by local media as Elvis Shkëmbi, began shooting inside the courtroom.
Kalaja was rushed to a hospital in Tirana but died from his injuries. Police confirmed that a suspect with the initials “E. Sh.” has been arrested in connection with the attack.
A father and son involved in the case were also wounded and are reported to be in stable condition.
Prime Minister Edi Rama condemned the shooting, calling for harsher penalties for gun-related crimes. Albania’s general prosecutor, Olsian Çela, described the attack as “a blow to the foundations of justice and the rule of law.”
Judge Kalaja had served for more than 30 years and joined the Tirana Court of Appeals in 2019.
