Greek weapons enthusiast charged over balcony shooting range

ATHENS, Greece – Greek police say they have arrested an elderly man for allegedly setting up an improvised firing range on his balcony in a densely populated area and using guns he owned illegally for target practice.

A police statement Tuesday says one of the handgun shots the man allegedly fired at a wooden target fixed to his balcony railings hit a neighbouring flat in Piraeus, the Greek capital’s harbour. Nobody was hurt.

The statement said a search of the 72-year-old suspect’s apartment produced five illegally owned handguns. Officers also found 21 shotguns — most of them licensed legally — a sword, a silencer, an axe, a Taser, knives and hundreds of rounds of ammunition.

The man was arrested Saturday and charged with firearms law violations and attempted grievous bodily harm.