Blood In Court Room: Judge Shot Dead, Dad & Son Injured During Property Dispute Hearing

By Our Reporter

A courtroom in Tirana, Albania, descended into chaos on Monday when a man on trial opened fire, killing the presiding judge and injuring two others during a heated property dispute.

Appeals Court Judge Astrit Kalaja was fatally shot inside his courtroom by a 30-year-old defendant identified by police as E. Sh. Witnesses said the gunman suddenly pulled out a revolver and fired multiple rounds before being overpowered by security personnel.

Judge Kalaja was rushed to hospital but died on the way, police confirmed. The other victims — a father and son representing the opposing side in the dispute — were hospitalized with gunshot wounds and are reported to be in stable condition.

According to investigators, the suspect may have opened fire after realizing he was about to lose the case. Police arrested him at the scene and recovered the firearm used in the attack. Authorities also detained the suspect’s uncle and a court security guard for questioning as part of the ongoing investigation.

Footage circulating online shows scenes of panic outside the courthouse — police sirens wailing, officers sprinting in pursuit, and bystanders scattering in fear as the incident unfolded.

Judge Kalaja, a respected jurist with more than 30 years of experience, had served on Tirana’s Court of Appeal since 2019. His killing has sent shockwaves through Albania’s judicial and political circles, reigniting national debate over the country’s lenient gun laws.

While illegal firearm possession carries a maximum sentence of three years in prison, Albania has recorded over 200 firearm-related incidents in the first half of 2025 alone, according to SEESAC data.

Prime Minister Edi Rama condemned the murder as a “tragic event,” calling for harsher punishments for gun-related crimes and a comprehensive review of courtroom security.

“The criminal aggression against the judge demands the most extreme legal response toward the perpetrator,” Rama said.

President Bajram Begaj described the shooting as “a terrible attack against the entire justice system,” while opposition leader Sali Berisha noted it was the first time in 35 years that a judge had been killed while performing his duties.

“This must be a day of deep reflection for all Albanian society,” Berisha said.

General Prosecutor Olsian Çela vowed to strengthen security measures for judges, saying the attack “strikes at the very foundation of justice and the functioning of the legal system.”

The tragedy comes amid ongoing judicial reforms launched in 2016 with support from the US and EU. Despite progress, Albania’s courts remain burdened by corruption allegations, property disputes, and years-long case backlogs — tensions that, experts warn, continue to fuel dangerous confrontations like this one.