Montenegro mass taking pictures leaves 4 useless, together with two youngsters; manhunt underway for gunman

A gunman in Montenegro killed at the least 4 individuals, together with two youngsters, after opening fireplace on Wednesday inside a restaurant within the historic capital of Cetinje after which going exterior and persevering with to shoot, in accordance with police and native media stories.

Montenegrin Vijesti TV mentioned a brawl on the restaurant preceded the taking pictures, with a variety of individuals killed on the premises. The gunman, who remained at massive, then left the restaurant, taking pictures and killing two youngsters on the road, information portal CDM reported.

A police spokeperson mentioned at the least 4 individuals had been killed.

In a reside TV broadcast from exterior a medical centre, Montenegrin Prime Minister Milojko Spajic referred to as the incident a “horrible tragedy” and declared three days of nationwide mourning.

He didn’t point out the variety of casualties, however mentioned 4 individuals had been transferred to a hospital in Podgorica, the capital, for surgical procedure.

“It appears that evidently in accordance with the primary info … the perpetrator didn’t have the background of somebody who’s a member of organised crime teams. There was a brawl the place pistols had been used,” Spajic mentioned.

Montenegro’s president, Jakov Milatovic, additionally reacted to the assault. “I’m shocked and horrified with the tragedy in Cetinje. … We’re praying and hoping for the restoration of the wounded,” Milatovic mentioned in an announcement.

Cetinje was eerily quiet and snow-covered streets had been actually empty aside from regulation enforcement on Wednesday. Particular police and anti-terrorist items looking for the suspect fanned out to hills. Cetinje sits in a shallow valley surrounded by rugged mountains.

Montenegro police despatched particular items to the realm and urged individuals to stay inside their houses. Footage confirmed police cordoning off a neighbourhood with lamposts twinkling with festive lights.

“All accessible police items are on the bottom, enterprise actions inside their jurisdiction” to apprehend the suspect, Montenegro’s Police Directorate mentioned in an announcement.

Mass shootings are comparatively uncommon in Montenegro, which has a deeply rooted gun tradition.

In 2022, 11 individuals, together with two youngsters and a gunman, had been killed in a mass taking pictures in Montenegro, which additionally injured six others.

Regardless of strict gun legal guidelines, the Western Balkans comprised of Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia, Albania, Kosovo and North Macedonia stays awash with weapons. Most are from the bloody wars within the Nineties, however some date again even to World Warfare One.

Spajic mentioned authorities would tighten standards for carrying firearms, together with the potential for a whole ban on weapons.