The 89-year-old defendant will appear before the investigating magistrate on Thursday to give his testimony regarding the armed attacks at the Greek social security office (EFKA) and the courthouse. The elderly man was given time to prepare his defense. The defendant, who faces three felonies and six misdemeanors, reportedly maintains that he had no intention to kill. As he states, if he wanted to kill employees, “he would have aimed at them and wouldn’t have fired at the ground.”
According to what he reportedly told police officers, his goal was to cause a “commotion” around his case in order to resolve the issue of his pension increase claim. This application concerned the pension he received in Greece as a foreign retiree and had been deemed illegal.
EFKA & courthouse attacks: What the indictment includes
Based on the case file evidence, the indictment for which he will testify includes the following offenses:
– Serial attempted murder
– Aggravated case of illegal weapon carrying within a judicial building
– Aggravated case of illegal firearm carrying
– Continued weapon use
– Continued illegal weapon possession for hunting purposes
– Illegal possession of ammunition and cartridges
– Illegal possession of knives and replicas
– Continued disruption of service operations
– Threat to commit crimes
The elderly man, who was arrested in Patras carrying a loaded .38 revolver, was transferred to Athens Police Headquarters in the evening and brought before the Prosecutor to face criminal charges.
In his statement to officers from the Athens Crime Investigation Sub-Directorate, the 89-year-old claimed that his actions were caused by his long-standing dispute with the state over supplementary pension benefits. As he said, he was seeking the allowance for the years he had worked in Greece, while already receiving pensions from America and Germany.
“I didn’t want to kill,” he reportedly told police officers. “I just wanted to make noise so my problem would be heard. If I wanted to kill, I would have killed, but I shot at the floor.” This version is confirmed by eyewitnesses to the attacks.
According to his statement, after the incident he took a taxi from EFKA, as the vehicle that had transported him there had left. He headed toward Loukareos street and, after leaving the courthouse, boarded another taxi bound for Patras.
According to the same sources, when asked if he intended to travel to Strasbourg, as had been rumored, he replied: “I thought about going and firing some shots at the court there too. Whether I go to prison here or in Europe…”
As he mentioned, he initially considered going to the Kifissos bus terminal, but ultimately decided to travel to Patras. There he planned to buy a ticket to Italy, but couldn’t withdraw money from the ATM, so his trip was postponed.
He added that he had considered returning to his village in Kalamata to go to the central square and have police called there to arrest him.
89-year-old: The phrase that reportedly enraged him
According to his lawyer, Vasilis Noulezas, the elderly man characterized his act as a “protest of desperation.” According to the lawyer’s social media post, the elderly man protests the treatment he claims he received from EFKA and the Justice system, as well as the non-payment of the pension he believes he deserves.
The 89-year-old, according to his statement, said: “I lived and worked as a machinist for 40 full years in Chicago, America, and that country granted me a pension of $2,614. I worked an additional eight years in Germany and receive 150 euros. The Greek social security office (IKA), however, forged my signature and declared that I have only 37 stamps, depriving me of the pension I deserve.”
He claimed that an EFKA employee’s phrase, “did you come here, you janissary from America to Greece to get a pension?”, enraged and deeply offended him. As he said, he has been fighting for 21 years without result, having assigned his case to three different lawyers.
The elderly man stated that his act was not intended to cause harm: “I shot at the floor and left the rifle. I had already sent a note to four newspapers to publicize my problem.”
According to his claims, he prefers to be imprisoned rather than go to a nursing home, while declaring that he is mentally and psychologically healthy. He also expressed his disappointment with the Justice system, which he characterized as “incapable of defending the interests of ordinary citizens.”
The 89-year-old also claimed that in 2019 he had warned the Athens Prosecutor’s Office about his intentions, resulting in his hospitalization for a month at Dafni psychiatric hospital. As he said, this incident both enraged and strengthened his resolve to react.
Referring to the day of the incident, he explained that he had checked the EFKA and courthouse areas and found there was no security control at the entrance. He also said that “if a police officer had intervened, I would have thrown down the weapon and surrendered,” expressing his respect for the Police and officers who, as he said, “are honest and struggling.”
Chilling documents from his actions
According to investigation evidence, the elderly man implemented his plan early in the morning. He appeared at EFKA offices shortly after 10:00 AM, wearing a dark coat and cap, while carrying the rifle in a bag.
He went up to the fourth floor and opened fire. The bullets wounded an employee in the leg, a worker who, according to reports, was preparing to retire. “I’m shocked by what happened, I came to my job and found myself shot in the leg. Fortunately, I’m out of danger,” the victim stated.
Police officers who arrived at the scene found that the perpetrator had already fled. They provided first aid to the injured person until the ambulance arrived.
The second strike at the courthouse
A short time later, the 89-year-old arrived undisturbed at the courthouse, about five kilometers away. He entered the building, walked through the corridors, and shot four women.
Before fleeing, he left the rifle and three envelopes containing letters, telling the terrified employees: “Here you will find the answers.” Panic ensued inside the building.
Police authorities mobilized again, dispersing forces on streets, stations, and bus terminals, searching for the 89-year-old who had vanished.
Union of Judges and Prosecutors: Courts left unguarded
The five injured are hospitalized with bullet wounds. The four women were transferred to Red Cross hospital, where the EFKA employee also ended up. The latter’s condition is considered more serious, though his life is not in danger.
The 89-year-old reportedly had a dispute with EFKA regarding his pension and, as evidence shows, had carefully organized his moves. From video that came to light, he appears to be at a mini market in Patisia the previous day, where he called a radio taxi for the morning of the attack with destination Kerameikos.
His route started from Ano Patisia, passed through Kerameikos and the courthouse, ending in Patras. There, around 4:30 PM, he was arrested at a hotel with a loaded revolver. According to reports, he intended to travel to Italy and had already obtained a ticket.
MEGA has secured video from the moment of his arrest, capturing the end of a multi-hour and unprecedented case for police authorities.
