A judge in Albania has been shot dead after a man opened fire during a trial at the Court of Appeal in the capital Tirana.
Judge Astrit Kalaja died en route to hospital, officials said, while two others involved in the hearing over a property dispute - a father and son - were shot but sustained injuries that were not life-threatening.
Police said they had arrested a 30-year-old male suspect who they identified by the initials 'E Sh', but Albanian media have named him as Elvis Shkëmbi.
Albania's Prime Minister Edi Rama offered his condolences to Judge Kalaja's family, stating: 'The criminal aggression against the judge undoubtedly requires the most extreme legal response toward the aggressor.'
He also called for stricter security within the country's courts and harsher punishments for the illegal possession of weapons.
Sali Berisha, leader of the opposition Democratic Party, remarked that Judge Kalaja's murder marked the first time in 35 years that a judge had been killed 'while doing his duty,' urging deep reflection from all Albanian society.
The suspect in Judge Kalaja's killing reportedly opened fire due to an expectation of losing the case, according to local media reports.
Mr. Shkëmbi's uncle and the court's security guard have also been arrested over the incident.
While firearm attacks on judges in courtrooms are rare, a notable case occurred a decade ago, when a judge in Milan’s Palace of Justice was shot dead by a defendant in a bankruptcy case.
Judge Kalaja had over 30 years of experience in the legal field, having started at a district court before joining Tirana's Court of Appeal in 2019.
