Serbia is in shock following a shooting at a school in the capital, Belgrade, that left at least eight children and a security guard dead. The shooting occurred at Vladislav Ribnikar Elementary School, a well-known institution in the upscale Vračar area of the city.
The 13-year-old suspect arrived at the school and immediately shot the security guard, before moving on to shoot his fellow students and a teacher. He then called the police and was arrested in the schoolyard. The boy was a student at the school and had two guns in his possession, according to the Serbian interior minister.
The suspect's parents were arrested, and the investigation is ongoing, with officials looking into how the boy obtained the guns and his motives for carrying out the attack. The boy had reportedly taken the guns from his father's safe. The Serbian president has expressed concern that the boy did not show remorse for the shooting and suggested that the government should consider lowering the age of criminal responsibility to 12.
Serbia has a high level of gun ownership, with more than 2.7 million guns in private ownership and only 44% of those officially registered. However, shootings of this kind are rare due to the country's strict gun laws and amnesties for owners who hand in or register illegal firearms.
The incident has sparked a national conversation about the country's laws, with President Aleksandar Vucic calling for mandatory anti-drug tests in schools and more police officers in schools. The shooting has prompted protests in Belgrade, with calls for the resignation of education officials.
Three days of mourning have been declared in Serbia, and other European countries have sent their condolences. The shooting has also prompted anger, with crowds of protesters gathering in Belgrade and chanting "resignation" at a vigil in front of Serbia's Ministry of Education.
The tragic incident has once again highlighted the need for stricter gun control laws and measures to prevent such attacks from happening in the future. The investigation is ongoing, and authorities are working to determine the full extent of the tragedy and what can be done to prevent similar incidents from occurring.