Several deaths at shooting in Montenegro, shooter on the run

Several deaths at shooting in Montenegro, shooter on the run

In the West Montenegrin city of Cetinje there was a terrible incident on Wednesday, in which an armed man killed at least four people and injured four more. The perpetrator is on the run, as the police and local media reported.

police operation and identification of the perpetrator

The police sent special troops to search for the assassin in Cetinje, about 30 kilometers northwest of the capital Podgorica. In a message, the police said that the man opened the fire in a bar and fled the crime scene armed. The authorities only identified him with his initials a.M. and stated that he was 45 years old.

Different information about the number of victims

The police confirmed at least four fatalities, while the state television station RTCG and other Montenegrin media reported up to seven deaths. According to reports, a dispute in the bar triggered the fatal incident. The Interior Minister Montenegros, Danilo Saranovic, said that among the fatalities, the bar owner as well as family members of the perpetrator and the victims were also without naming a precise number.

reactions from politicians

President Jakov Milatovic was "shocked and stunned" in the face of this tragedy. He said: "Instead of joy, we are fulfilled of grief about the loss of innocent life." He announced this on the social media platform X. Prime Minister Milojko Spajic visited the injured people in the hospital and announced three days of grief without giving precise information about the number of fatalities. "This is a terrible tragedy that all affects us," said Spajic.

security situation and weapons culture in Montenegro

Montenegro, a small country with around 620,000 inhabitants, is known for a pronounced weapon culture, and many people traditionally have weapons. The incident in Cetinje has already been the second killing spree in the historic capital of Montenegros within the past three years. In August 2022, an attacker killed ten people, including two children, before he was shot by a passerby.

identity of the perpetrator and further details

The RTCG report identified the suspect as Aco Martinovic, a man who was known for his unpredictable behavior and was arrested in the past for illegal gun ownership. According to reports, he went home to get his weapon and then returned to the bar, where he opened the fire and killed and injured several people. Then he went to another place where he killed the children of the bar owner and a woman.

call to rest

The police appealed to the residents of keeping calm and protecting themselves in their houses while excluding an argument between criminal gangs.

This message is still being created and is updated.