A sitting judge at Albania’s Court of Appeal was shot and killed on Tuesday when a defendant on trial opened fire during a court hearing in the capital city.

Judge Astrit Kalaja, a veteran member of the judiciary with over three decades of legal experience, was rushed to the hospital after the shooting but succumbed to his injuries, officials confirmed. Two additional individuals — a father and son involved in the hearing — were also wounded but are expected to recover.

Police swiftly apprehended the gunman, identified by authorities as 30-year-old Elvis Shkëmbi, who was reportedly on trial at the time of the shooting. Initial reports suggest Shkëmbi opened fire in frustration over an anticipated unfavorable verdict.

The shocking incident prompted immediate national outrage and renewed concerns over courtroom security in Albania.

Prime Minister Edi Rama extended condolences to Judge Kalaja’s family and called for an “extreme legal response” against the assailant. “The criminal aggression against the judge undoubtedly requires the most severe punishment under the law,” Rama said. He also urged swift reforms to tighten security protocols in courtrooms and impose harsher penalties for illegal firearms possession.

Opposition leader Sali Berisha of the Democratic Party described the attack as “unprecedented in the last 35 years,” saying, “Today marks a tragic and shameful day for Albanian society. It calls for deep national reflection.”

In the aftermath of the attack, authorities detained both the suspect’s uncle and a court security guard as part of an ongoing investigation into how the weapon entered the courthouse.

Albania’s General Prosecutor Olsian Çela condemned the act as “an attack on the foundations of justice,” adding: “This tragedy is not just a personal loss — it threatens the integrity and functionality of our entire legal system.”

Judge Kalaja had served on the Tirana Court of Appeal since 2019 after a long career beginning in Albania’s district courts.

Though rare, attacks inside European courthouses have precedent. In 2015, a man on trial in Milan’s Palace of Justice fatally shot a judge and two others during a bankruptcy hearing.

Gun-related violence remains a concern in Albania. According to a recent UN-backed regional monitor, the country recorded 43 firearm-related public disputes in the first half of this year — the highest in the Balkans, though lower than last year’s figures.