Greek tax official dies 7 months after supplementary attack in office

THESSALONIKI – A tax office employee who was attacked with an ax in his workplace nearly seven months ago has died, an administrator at the Greek hospital said on 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.

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

The employee, who was not named, was attacked when a 45-year-old man entered the tax office in the northern city of Kozani on July 16 without being subjected to a security check, merely a check on his temperature. When he was inside, he grabbed a small ax from a plastic bag he was carrying and attacked the man and two female employees in the head and face, shouting, “Did you enjoy it?” 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 off a flight of stairs in panic. The man was restrained by two employees who threw themselves at him. He was arrested on the day and is charged with attempted murder and several serious assaults

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