An elderly man armed with a hunting rifle opened fire in a social security building in Athens on Tuesday, wounding one employee in the leg, Greek media reported.

A short time later, he carried out a second shooting at a court building in the city that left four more people lightly injured, public broadcaster ERT News said.

The suspect fled after the shootings, prompting a large-scale police manhunt to identify and apprehend him. Witnesses described the man as old, tall, and thin.

A spokesman for the social security workers’ union told Greek media that the attacker appeared agitated and fired twice with a shotgun.

Initial reports from ERT News suggested the suspect may be facing difficult social circumstances. Authorities said investigations into the motive, background, and precise course of events were ongoing. 

(dpa/NAN)