Montenegro is in mourning after a tragedy that claimed the lives of 12 people, including two children, on Wednesday, January 1, in the village of Bajice, near the town of Cetinje. According to the prosecution, an intoxicated man opened fire after an altercation in a restaurant. A three-day national mourning was declared to honor the victims.
A drama triggered by a dispute
The shooting broke out around 4:30 p.m. GMT (5:30 p.m. in Paris) after a dispute escalated. “After arguing with a customer with whom he had spent a large part of the day, and while he had consumed large quantities of alcohol, the suspect returned home, took a weapon and killed four people,” explained Lazar Scepanovic, head of the Montenegrin police.
The murders occurred in five separate locations, according to prosecutor Andrijana Nastic. The victims included a member of the shooter’s family, the restaurant owner and his two children aged 10 and 13.
A growing toll
Initially, authorities announced 10 deaths, but the death toll rose to 12 on Thursday. In addition to the deaths, four people were seriously injured and taken to hospital in Podgorica. Three of them remained in critical condition Thursday morning, while the fourth, injured in the head, was considered “very critical”, according to the director of the establishment, Aleksandar Radovic.
The assailant: a 45-year-old man
The suspected shooter, aged 45, was surrounded after several hours of tracking by the police and the army. “When the officers asked him to put down his weapon, he shot himself in the head,” said Lazar Scepanovic. He was rushed to the scene and died of his injuries shortly afterwards.
National mourning and future measures
Montenegrin Prime Minister Milojko Spajic declared a three-day national mourning, from Thursday to Saturday. In a speech, he promised to tighten restrictions on gun ownership: “This tragedy raises questions about who can own guns in Montenegro. »
A region marked by organized crime
Although the police have affirmed that this shooting is not linked to organized crime, Montenegro, and in particular the Cetinje region, is known to be affected by violence linked to mafia clans. In recent months, several incidents have rocked the city, including an explosion in June that left two dead and three injured, as well as an assassination by sniper fire in September.
Montenegro has around 245,000 weapons in circulation for a population of 630,000 inhabitants, according to a study by the Small Arms Survey.
A country in shock
Montenegrin President Jakov Milatovic expressed his compassion on X: “Our thoughts are with the bereaved families and residents of Cetinje. All of Montenegro shares your pain. »
This tragedy, which occurred in the heart of a peaceful village, raises many questions about public security and gun control in this small Balkan country.
Source: Le Parisien
(Thank you Fabrice Guérault)
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