Montenegro shooting suspect dies after attempting suicide By Reuters
PODGORICA, Montenegro (Reuters) – A gunman who killed at least 10 people in a shooting spree in a small town in Montenegro died of his self-inflicted injuries on Thursday after attempting suicide, the country’s Interior Minister Danilo Saranovic said.
The gunman, identified by police as Aleksandar Martinovic, 45, attempted suicide near his home in the town of Cetinje after being cornered by police.
“When he saw that he was in a hopeless situation, he attempted suicide. He did not succumb to his injuries on the spot, but during transport to the hospital,” Saranovic told Montenegrin state broadcaster RTCG.
Saranovic did not provide any information about the suicide attempt.
Martinovic was on the run after he opened fire on Wednesday afternoon at a restaurant in Cetinje, a small town 38 km (23.6 miles) west of Podgorica, the Montenegrin capital, killing four people.
The gunman then moved on to three other locations and, according to police, killed at least six more people, including two children. Four other people suffered life-threatening injuries.
Police said Martinovic had a history of illegal gun possession.
Late Wednesday, Police Director Lazar Scepanovic said the suspect was believed to have been drinking heavily before the shooting. Montenegrin Prime Minister Milojko Spajic said there was a scuffle before shots were fired.
Police said the shooting was not related to organized crime.
Mass shootings are comparatively rare in Montenegro, which has a deeply rooted gun culture. In 2022, also in Cetinje, eleven people, including two children and a gunman, were killed in a mass attack.
Wednesday’s incident shocked the country of 605,000 people. Spajic called the rampage a “terrible tragedy” and declared three days of national mourning. President Jakov Milatovic said he was “horrified” by the attack.
Despite strict gun laws, the Western Balkan states, consisting of Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia, Albania, Kosovo and North Macedonia, continue to be full of weapons. Most come from the bloody wars of the 1990s, but some date back to the First World War.
Spajic said authorities would consider tightening the criteria for owning and carrying firearms, including the possibility of a complete ban on weapons.
