A person has shot useless 12 individuals in a rampage in a small city in Montenegro earlier than turning his gun on himself, authorities say.
The attacker, named by police as 45-year-old Aco Martinovic, initially shot useless 4 individuals at a restaurant in Cetinje on Wednesday afternoon after an altercation.
He then shot useless eight individuals, together with two kids and his sister, at three different areas, police director Lazar Scepanovic informed a press convention within the capital Podgorica.
“All of the victims have been his godfathers, associates … he killed his personal sister, with whom he had good relations and with whom he spent New 12 months’s Eve,” Scepanovic mentioned.
He mentioned police initially had deceptive details about the location of the primary taking pictures and went to a spot 3km away.
It was the second mass taking pictures in lower than three years in the identical city, 38km west of the capital Podgorica.
In August 2022, a gunman killed 10 individuals, together with two kids, earlier than being shot useless.
After being cornered by officers close to his residence within the city, Martinovic tried to shoot himself, then died of his wounds on the way in which to hospital within the early hours of Thursday, Scepanovic mentioned.
“When commanded by officers to drop his weapon, he turned the gun towards his physique and fired,” he mentioned.
Police discovered an illegally owned handgun and 90 extra rounds on Martinovic’s physique.
There have been few individuals on the streets in Cetinje on Thursday and all public venues have been closed.
“It was dreadful. Such uncertainty, such concern amongst all of the households in Cetinje. You did not dare look by means of the window,” 43-year-old resident Slavica Vusurovic informed Reuters.
“After I … noticed it on TV, I began crying,” mentioned Slobo Matic, 64.
Police mentioned Martinovic had been ingesting closely.
In 2022, police discovered two airguns and a home made bomb at his residence.
He was sentenced to a few months in jail however appealed and courtroom proceedings have been nonetheless ongoing on the time of the taking pictures.
He was additionally ordered to endure psychiatric analysis.
4 different individuals suffered life-threatening wounds throughout Wednesday’s rampage and one was in a important situation, mentioned Aleksandar Radovic, director of the Medical Centre in Podgorica.
Prime Minister Milojko Spajic declared three days of mourning and scheduled a session of the Nationwide Safety Council for Friday to debate the aftermath of the taking pictures and tips on how to limit unlawful weapons, the federal government mentioned.
The proposals embody tighter standards for proudly owning and carrying firearms, and recruitment of extra cops.
Nonetheless, stricter gun controls can be more likely to face stiff opposition.
All of the western Balkan international locations – Montenegro, Serbia, Bosnia, Albania, Kosovo and North Macedonia – are awash with weapons, largely from the wars of the Nineteen Nineties.
