At least 10 people, including two children, were killed in a shooting rampage in the western Montenegrin city of Cetinje. The primary suspect, identified as 45-year-old Aco Martinovic, went on a shooting spree after a fight broke out at a bar. The attack claimed the lives of at least 10 people and critically injured four others. Martinovic is still on the run, and police have dispatched special troops to search for him. The suspect is considered extremely dangerous, and residents of Cetinje have been urged to remain indoors until his arrest.
Authorities say Martinovic was at the bar with other guests when a brawl broke out. He returned to the bar with a weapon and opened fire, killing four people. He then continued shooting at three more locations before fleeing with a vehicle he was using, which has been found by the police. Martinovic has had past run-ins with the law, as he received a suspended sentence for violent behavior in 2005 and appealed his latest conviction for illegal possession of a firearm. Montenegro is known for its gun culture, with many people owning weapons.
This shooting rampage is the second incident of its kind in Cetinje within a three-year period. In mid-2022, another attacker killed 10 people, including two children, before being neutralized by a passerby. Montenegro’s President Jakov Milatovic expressed shock and sadness over the tragedy, which has led to three days of national mourning. Prime Minister Milojko Spajic visited the hospital where the wounded were being treated and stated that police teams are still searching for the suspect responsible for the “terrible tragedy that has affected us all.”
Montenegro’s Interior Minister Danilo Saranovic described the level of rage and brutality exhibited by Martinovic as even more dangerous than organized criminal gangs. The suspect shot and killed the bar owner, his children, and even members of his own family. Saranovic warned that Martinovic was an extremely dangerous individual and urged residents of Cetinje to stay indoors until his arrest. All roads in and out of the city have been blocked as police continue the search for the suspect. The shooting has left the country in mourning and shocked over the loss of innocent lives.
The tragic shooting incident has left Montenegro reeling from the loss of lives and the impact on the local community. The small country, with a population of approximately 620,000 people, has been known for its gun culture, with a high number of individuals owning firearms. The violence perpetrated by Martinovic has highlighted the need for stricter gun control measures and increased focus on identifying and addressing individuals with a history of violence. The national mourning period declared by the government reflects the deep grief and sadness felt by the entire nation over the senseless loss of life in the shooting rampage.
