The thriller of the axe attack at the tax office in Kozani comes alive again in the courtrooms. The moments of terror that unfolded at the tax office in Kozani in July 2020, when a man burst in with an axe, were described by the service employees during the trial at the Mixed Jury Court of Appeals of Western Macedonia.
Read: Axe attack at Kozani tax office: Critical condition of two tax officials
What the perpetrator who attacked the Kozani tax office with an axe declared
The perpetrator injured four people, one of whom died after months of hospitalization in an ICU at a Thessaloniki hospital. In the courtroom, the defendant stated that he acknowledges his actions, but not in the way described in the indictment.
The defense attorney requested the application of the mitigating circumstance of “crime of passion,” arguing that the defendant was under psychological pressure because he believed the employees represented authority.
As she mentioned, the previous evening the perpetrator learned of the death of young Mangos in Volos, who was beaten by police officers, an event that allegedly triggered the “murderous rampage.”
Shocking testimonies from employees at Kozani tax office
One of the injured employees described: “He told me he was crazy and now it’s the next person’s turn.” Another employee, who escaped thanks to the intervention of the service director, emphasized: “I grabbed the handle and fought. I was hitting him in the legs. If I hadn’t done that, I wouldn’t be here today.”
The same employee never returned to her position and remained immobilized for 3 months, as the injuries to her head and spine were serious.
What the perpetrator was shouting
According to witnesses, the perpetrator allegedly said: “I got yours, now I’ll get the cops too. Did you like what I did to you? Lackeys of the system.”
Another employee described the 45-year-old holding the axe and striking “like a lumberjack chopping a log.”
The perpetrator has been sentenced in first instance to life imprisonment for premeditated murder and to 26 years for attempted murder, as well as for weapons use and possession offenses.
The trial was adjourned due to time constraints and will continue on Wednesday, October 15.
