In brief
Following a devastating shooting linked to a bar fight in Cetinje, Montenegro, authorities report ten fatalities, including two children. The gunman has been confirmed dead, leading the government to declare three days of mourning and consider new gun control measures.
In a shocking turn of events, a shooting rampage in the small Balkan nation of Montenegro has left at least ten people dead, including two children. The violence erupted on Wednesday in the city of Cetinje, approximately 22 miles from the capital, after a bar dispute escalated tragically. The local interior minister, Danilo Saranovic, confirmed that among the deceased were the bar owner and his children.The alleged perpetrator, identified as 45-year-old Aco Martinovic, initially sparked a manhunt as authorities sought to apprehend him. However, Prime Minister Milojko Spajic later announced that Martinovic was found dead; reports suggest he succumbed to self-inflicted injuries. The attack's aftermath leaves at least four individuals critically injured, prompting calls for a reevaluation of gun laws in the country.“The loss of innocent lives has cast a shadow over our holiday celebrations,” President Jakov Milatovic lamented as the government declared three days of national mourning. Local authorities have urged cancellations of public performances and events during this period.This incident is particularly alarming as it marks the second mass shooting in Cetinje in just three years, with a similar tragedy occurring in 2022 that killed ten people, including children. Montenegro's struggles with gun violence are compounded by a high rate of firearm possession, ranking alongside Serbia with 39 guns per 100 people as per the 2018 Small Arms Survey. The haunting echoes of this latest incident have reignited the debate over gun control and public safety in the region.
