• A man on trial in Tirana opened fire in a courtroom, killing Judge Astrit Kalaja and injuring two others.
• The 30-year-old suspect fled the scene but was detained; the case involved a property dispute.
• Albanian leaders condemned the attack and urged tougher security in courts and harsher penalties for gun crimes.
• Reports link the incident to wider concerns about court backlogs and reforms in Albania since 2016.

The shooting occurred at Tirana’s Court of Appeals during a hearing, with Judge Kalaja taken to hospital where he died on the way, and the other party to the trial, a father and son, shot and hospitalized but in stable condition. Police said the 30-year-old suspect fled but was later detained, and the revolver used was recovered. The case has been described in reporting as involving a property dispute. according to SCMP, Al Jazeera, and BBC.

Messages from Prime Minister Edi Rama and other officials framed the event as a tragedy and called for a reconsideration of court security and gun-control measures. Rama described the death as a “tragic event” and urged a review of internal security in courts, while invoking the need for stricter penalties for illegal gun possession. President Bajram Begaj also condemned the killing as “a terrible attack against the entire justice system.” These remarks are echoed in reporting from Al Jazeera and BBC, with both noting the call for a robust legal response. according to Al Jazeera and BBC.

Analysts and officials highlighted Albania’s broader context of judicial reforms and a long backlog that has persisted since reforms began in 2016 with support from the European Union and the United States. The 2016 reforms have been associated with thousands of delayed cases, a backdrop echoed in reporting from SCMP, Al Jazeera, and BBC.