A 30-year-old man fatally shot an appeals court judge during a hearing in Tirana, Albania, on Monday, October 6, 2025. The incident occurred at the Court of Appeals during a property dispute session. Judge Astrit Kalaja succumbed to his injuries while being taken to the hospital.
The assailant, identified by police as E. Sh., used a pistol to open fire shortly after the verdict in the property case was delivered. Local media identified him as Elvis Shkëmbi. In addition to killing the judge, the shooter injured two other individuals involved in the hearing, a father and son who were plaintiffs in the case, though their injuries were not life-threatening.
Police reports indicate that Shkëmbi shot Judge Kalaja multiple times with a pistol concealed in his belt. After targeting the judge, he also fired at the two plaintiffs before leaving the courtroom and handing his weapon to a court clerk. He fled the scene but was later apprehended by authorities.
Authorities have made three arrests related to the shooting. Among those detained is the shooter’s uncle, also a defendant in the case, suspected of knowing about the plan to kill the judge and potentially aiding in its execution. Additionally, a 63-year-old security guard was arrested for allegedly allowing the men into the building despite setting off the metal detector.
The security guard, identified by authorities as “B.K.,” neglected to physically inspect the men or record them in the mandatory protocol book, which logs all individuals entering or exiting the Court of Appeals. This oversight enabled the suspect and his uncle to remain in the lobby for nearly an hour before the hearing started.
Judge Kalaja, 63, had practiced law for over three decades before his appointment to Tirana’s Court of Appeals in 2019. He was presiding over what local media characterized as a property dispute case when the shooting occurred.
Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama termed the event tragic, urging for improved security measures in the nation’s courts. Rama stated, “The criminal aggression against the judge undoubtedly requires the most extreme legal response toward the aggressor.” He also pushed for stricter penalties for illegal possession of weapons.
President Bajram Begaj condemned the incident as an attack on the justice system. General Prosecutor Olsian Çela remarked that beyond the tragic loss of life and injuries, the shooting undermines the foundations of justice and the legal system’s operation.
Opposition Democratic Party leader Sali Berisha noted that the killing of Judge Kalaja was the first time in 35 years a judge had been murdered while performing his duties. He called for introspection within Albanian society regarding the event.
The attack underscores persistent security concerns within Albania’s judicial system. In response, all trials at the Court of Appeals were halted, with only sessions for security measures continuing as planned.
Gun violence remains a pressing issue in Albania. From January to June 2025, the South Eastern and Eastern Europe Clearinghouse for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons reported 213 firearm-related incidents in the country. Of these, 43 incidents involved firearms in public disputes —the highest among Balkan nations in that timeframe.
Under Albanian law, penalties for illegal firearm possession range from 1–3 years when kept in a residence to 5–7 years for possession in public places, with higher terms in aggravated cases This incident occurs amid Albania’s ongoing judicial reforms, initiated in 2016 with EU and U.S. support, which have led to significant court backlogs with numerous cases delayed over the years.
While rare, courtroom attacks on judges happen globally. A similar incident occurred in 2015 at Milan’s Palace of Justice in Italy, where a man on trial for bankruptcy shot and killed a judge, a lawyer, and his co-defendant before fleeing and being captured later.
The investigation into Monday’s shooting continues as Albanian authorities seek to understand the circumstances of the attack on Judge Kalaja and the security shortcomings that allowed the assailant to bring a weapon into the courthouse.