The Tirana Prosecutor’s Office has concluded its investigation into the murder of Appeals Court Judge Astrit Kalaja, sending three people to trial. Elvis Shkambi and his uncle, Gjon Shkambi, are accused of criminal offenses related to the incident, while B.K., a security officer at the Appeals Court, will face charges of “Abuse of office.”
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Elvis Shkambi is charged with “Murder of public officials,” “Murder under other qualifying circumstances” against the litigating parties, attempted, and “Unauthorized possession and production of weapons, explosive weapons and ammunition.”
Gjon Shkambi has been sent to trial for “Murder under other qualifying circumstances,” while B.K. has been sent to trial for “Abuse of office.”
The investigation into criminal proceeding No. 7416 of 2025 began on October 6, 2025, after it was reported at around 3:38 p.m. to the operations room of the Tirana Local Police Directorate that Judge A.K. had been shot inside the premises of the Tirana Court of Appeals of General Jurisdiction.
The initial investigative actions, including the examination of the crime scene and the collection of video footage, revealed that Judge A.K. was shot during a court hearing. The hearing concerned an “Objection to enforcement actions,” while the plaintiff was R.K.; Gjon Shkambi and his nephew, Elvis Shkambi, were third parties in the proceedings.
After Judge A.K. announced the ruling, Elvis Shkambi pulled a pistol from his waistband and fired several shots at him. He then pointed the weapon at R.K. and E.K., who were attempting to leave the courtroom. As a result, E.K. was wounded in the right hand, while R.K. sustained injuries to the body.
After the shooting, Elvis Shkambi handed the weapon to the court’s security officer and went out into the institution’s courtyard, where he was arrested in flagrante delicto.
According to the Prosecutor’s Office, the evidence collected during the investigation shows that Elvis Shkambi committed the offense in cooperation with Gjon Shkambi. E.Sh. himself stated that he had carried the weapon during other hearings as well and that his uncle was aware of this fact. The investigation also found that there had been an ongoing property dispute between them and E.K.’s family.
The Prosecutor’s Office considers that B.K. fulfilled all the elements of the criminal offense of “Abuse of office,” as provided for under Article 248 of the Criminal Code.
The investigation showed that E.Sh. and Gj.Sh. had entered the court without undergoing security checks, while one of them was carrying a firearm, which he used inside the courtroom.
The incident resulted in the death of Judge A.K. and the wounding of two people, concretely, directly and extremely seriously violating the legal interest that the security rules were intended to protect.
According to the prosecution, B.K. remained seated and took no action to physically search the two individuals. At the same time, he did not register them in the entry and exit logbook, a fact confirmed by an examination of the register.
For Elvis Shkambi, the charges are based on Articles 79/a, 79/ç and 278/1 of the Criminal Code, while for Gjon Shkambi and B.K. they are based on Articles 79/ç and 248 of the Criminal Code.
