Former Employee Kills Top Executives Of Greek Shipping Company In Dramatic Shooting

A 70-year-old former employee launched a shooting rampage at a shipping company near Athens, killing three executives before committing suicide, sparking an investigation into possible motives.

A special police force member stands on the building terrace while police secure the area around the building of a shipping company following a shooting and while a police operation is underway in the suburb of Glyfada, in Athens, Greece, February 12, 2024. REUTERS/Alkis Konstantinidis

A few minutes after 10:00am on Monday, a 70-year-old former employee went on a shooting rampage in the offices of a shipping company near Athens.

The culprit, armed with a hunting rifle, allegedly broke into the premises of European Navigation Inc through the parking lot, according to the Greek media.

The gunman shot dead three employee including the owner of the company, the CEO, and the captain.

The suspect, who committed suicide after the deed, is of Egyptian origin and reportedly used to work as a caretaker of the carrier company located Glyfada, about 12km (7 miles) south of Athens. According to the police, he was recently fired from the company.

“I came to end it, to put an end to what exists between us,” the attacker allegedly said when he entered the building and went of a shooting spree.

During the incident, many people were working inside the building. A few succeeded in getting away. The attacker refused to surrender after the area was surrounded by numerous security forces. The suspect was later found dead in the building’s basement where he barricaded himself.

The police’s Special Suppressive Counter-terrorism Unit, EKAM, located the three victims who were lying lifeless.

A revolver was found upon searching the offender’s car. Police suspect that the tragic shooting may have been caused by an internal dispute inside Greece’s Karnessis shipping clan. The Department of Crimes against Life and Personal Freedom of the Attica Security Directorate is conducting a preliminary inquiry.