Montenegro Mourns After Gunman Kills At Least 12 People Before Shooting Himself | rssama.com

CETINJE, Montenegro (AP) — Shock and dismay prevailed successful Montenegro connected Thursday aft a gunman fatally changeable 12 people, including 2 children, successful a occidental municipality earlier sidesplitting himself.

At slightest 4 others were wounded successful nan shooting rampage successful Cetinje connected Wednesday that followed a barroom brawl, officials said. This was nan second specified incident successful nan town successful nan past 3 years.

The shooter, identified arsenic 45-year-old Aco Martinović, killed nan proprietor of nan bar, nan barroom owner’s children and his ain family members, officials person said.

The attacker, who first fled aft nan rampage, was later located and surrounded by police. He died aft shooting himself successful nan head, Interior Minister Danilo Šaranović said.

Residents of Cetinje were stunned and grief-stricken. Vanja Popović, whose relatives are among nan victims, said that “we are each successful shock.”

“How tin I consciousness aft this?” Popović said. “No 1 expected it. You can’t moreover inquire anyone anything.”

Police had dispatched a typical portion to hunt for nan attacker successful nan town, which is located astir 30 kilometers (18 miles) northwest of Podgorica, nan capital. All roads successful and retired of nan metropolis were blocked for hours arsenic constabulary swarmed nan streets.

Šaranović said that nan shooter had died while being taken to a infirmary successful nan superior and succumbed from nan “severity of his injuries.”

Officials person said that nan attacker was astatine nan barroom passim nan time pinch different guests erstwhile nan brawl erupted. He past went home, brought backmost a limb and opened occurrence astatine astir 5:30 p.m.

Prosecutor Andrijana Nastić said Thursday that nan attacker went to six locations during nan shooting rampage, including nan past one, wherever he changeable himself.

Four men were killed astatine nan bar, Nastić said. The shooter past moved connected to different location wherever he killed 4 much people, and past 2 children astatine a 3rd site. He past went connected to termination 2 much group astatine 2 different locations earlier yet shooting himself, Nastić said.

“Further investigation will find nan nonstop circumstances of nan events,” she added.

The authorities has declared 3 days of nationalist mourning starting connected Thursday, and each planned New Year’s festivities person been canceled passim nan country.

Prime Minister Milojko Spajić said that nan authorities whitethorn effort to enforce a full prohibition connected weapons “because we must inquire ourselves aft this who should beryllium allowed to person guns successful Montenegro.”

The mini Adriatic Sea nation, which has a organization of astir 620,000 people, is known for its weapon civilization and galore group traditionally person weapons.

In August 2022 successful Cetinje, which is Montenegro’s historical capital, an attacker killed 10 people, including 2 children, earlier he was changeable and killed by a passerby.

Police person said that nan fishy successful Wednesday’s shooting received a suspended condemnation successful 2005 for convulsive behaviour and had appealed his latest condemnation for forbidden weapons possession. Montenegrin media person reported that he was known for erratic and convulsive behavior.

“Instead of vacation joyousness ... we person been gripped by sadness complete nan nonaccomplishment of guiltless lives,” Montenegro’s President Jakov Milatović said successful a station connected X.

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Jovana Gec and Dušan Stojanović contributed to this study from Belgrade, Serbia.

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