Greek tax officer dies 7 months after axe attack in office

THESSALONIKI — A tax office employee who had been attacked with an axe in his workplace nearly seven months ago has died, a Greek hospital administrator said Sunday.

The 56-year-old employee, who had serious head injuries and was in a coma, died late Saturday, Eleni Takouda, administrator of the private “Blue Cross” clinic in Thessaloniki told the Associated Press Sunday.

The victim was scheduled to go to a rehabilitation center abroad, but restrictions due to the coronavirus pandemic had postponed his transfer, said Ilias Zoumboulis, head of the Western Macedonia tax officers’ association.

The employee, who was not named, was attacked when a 45-year-old man entered the tax office in the northwestern city of Kozani July 16 without being subjected to any security screening, only a check on his temperature. Once inside, he took a small axe out of a plastic bag he was carrying and attacked the man and two women employees in the head and face, shouting “Did you enjoy that?” and “This is what you deserve,” according to witnesses.

It was not clear what the attacker’s motive was and he was apparently not known to the victims.

A third woman was injured when she fell down a staircase while fleeing in panic. The man was restrained by two employees who threw themselves at him. He was arrested on the day and was charged with attempted murder and multiple aggravated assaults

The victim is survived by his wife and a 15-year-old son, according to local media.