Greek tax officer dies 7 months after collateral attack in office

THESSALONIKI – A tax office employee who was attacked with an ax at work nearly seven months ago has died, a Greek hospital administrator said on Sunday.

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

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

The employee, who was not named, was attacked when a 45-year-old man entered the tax office in the northwestern town of Kozani on July 16 without being subjected to a security check, just a check of his temperature. Once inside, he took a small ax from a plastic bag he was carrying and attacked the man and two female employees in the head and face, yelling, “Did you like that?” and “This is what you deserve,” said witnesses.

The motive of the attacker was unclear and he was apparently unknown to the victims.

A third woman was injured when she fell down a flight of stairs in a panic. The man was stopped by two employees who threw themselves on him. He was arrested that day and charged with attempted murder and multiple aggravated assaults

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