Montenegro Shooting: Gunman Kills 12, Including Children, Before Suicide
Montenegro Reels After Deadly Shooting Spree Leaves 12 Dead
CETINJE, Montenegro - A wave of shock adn grief has swept through the small Montenegrin town of Cetinje after a gunman opened fire, killing 12 people, including two children, before taking his own life.The horrific incident, which unfolded on Wednesday evening following a bar brawl, has left the community reeling and searching for answers.
the shooter, identified as 45-year-old Aco Martinović, targeted the owner of the bar, the owner’s children, and members of his own family, according to officials. After the initial rampage,Martinović fled the scene but was later located and surrounded by police.He died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head.
Cetinje, a town of approximately 17,000 people, is struggling to comprehend the senseless violence. “I knew all of these people personally,also the attacker,” said Vesko Milošević,a retiree from Cetinje.”I think when he did that, he was out of his mind. What do I know,he went from place to place and killed people. It’s a catastrophe.”
Vanja Popović,whose relatives were among the victims,expressed the collective shock and disbelief gripping the town. “How can I feel after this?” Popović said. “No one expected it.You can’t even ask anyone anything.”
The shooting, the second such incident in Cetinje in recent years, has sparked renewed concerns about gun violence and mental health in the Balkan nation. Police have launched a full investigation into the incident,seeking to understand the motive behind the attack.
The tragedy has sent shockwaves through Montenegro and beyond, prompting an outpouring of condolences and support for the victims’ families. As the community mourns its losses, the question of how to prevent such tragedies from happening again looms large.
Montenegro Reels After Deadly Shooting Spree Leaves 11 Dead
CEDINJE, Montenegro – A gunman opened fire at multiple locations across the small balkan nation of Montenegro on Wednesday, killing 11 people before taking his own life.The horrific rampage, which shattered the holiday spirit, has left the country in mourning and sparked calls for stricter gun control.The shooting began in the town of Cetinje, where the gunman, identified by authorities as a 34-year-old local resident, fatally shot four men at a bar. He then moved on to a nearby location, killing four more people. Two children were gunned down at a third site,followed by two more victims at two additional locations. The gunman ultimately ended his own life.
“Further investigation will determine the exact circumstances of the events,” said Dijana nastić, a spokesperson for the Montenegrin police.
The tragedy has sent shockwaves through Montenegro, a nation of roughly 620,000 people known for its stunning Adriatic coastline and rugged mountains. The government declared three days of national mourning, canceling all planned New Year’s festivities.
“Rather of holiday joy … we have been gripped by sadness over the loss of innocent lives,” Montenegro’s President Jakov Milatović wrote on X, formerly known as twitter.
Prime Minister Milojko Spajić suggested the government may consider a total ban on weapons in the wake of the shooting. “We must ask ourselves after this who should be allowed to have guns in Montenegro,” he said.
The country has a long-standing gun culture, with many citizens traditionally owning firearms. However,this latest tragedy has reignited the debate over gun control in Montenegro.
This is not the first time Cetinje has been the scene of a mass shooting. in August 2022, an attacker killed 10 people, including two children, before being shot and killed by a passerby.
Police revealed that the suspect in Wednesday’s shooting had a history of violence. He received a suspended sentence in 2005 for violent behavior and had appealed a recent conviction for illegal weapons possession. Montenegrin media reports described him as having erratic and violent tendencies.