A student who witnessed the shooting stated that the suspect seemed “nice” and would earn “good grades” when they were in the same class.
Police say the 13-year-old who killed eight students and a security guard at a Serbian school had a list of students he wanted to “liquidate” and four Molotov cocktails in his rucksack.
The police have identified the juvenile suspect as seventh-grade pupil K.K., using only his initials due to his age.
Police say he took his father’s firearm before opening fire on his teacher, classmates, and security personnel at the Vladislav Ribnikar elementary school in Belgrade on Wednesday morning.
Seven females and one boy, all aged between 11 and 14 years old, perished.
Officers have stated that the school’s assistant principal called the police at 8:40 a.m. local time (7:40 a.m. UK time) and the suspect himself called officers two minutes later to report that he had shot multiple persons.
After being wounded, according to Milan Nedeljkovic, mayor of the central Vracar district where the school is located, the teacher is fighting for her life.
Also being treated are six children who were injured, one of whom, a girl, is in a life-threatening condition.
According to the law on juvenile offenders and the protection of adolescents from criminal prosecution, K.K. cannot be held criminally liable because he has not yet reached the age of 14.
V.K., his 48-year-old father, was ordered detained for up to 48 hours on suspicion of committing severe crimes against public safety.
The suspects’ schemes resembled a horror film.
After the tragedy, body bags were seen being transported out of the school.
K.K. had a list of children he wanted to “liquidate” on his desk at home and had been planning the attack for a month, according to Veselin Milic, the director of police in Belgrade.
Mr. Milic stated that the suspect’s plans appeared “like a video game or a horror movie” and were extremely detailed, indicating which classrooms he would enter and which students he would target.
Mr. Milic added that the suspect first murdered a security guard at the school in central Belgrade before killing three pupils in a hallway.
The police superintendent stated that the suspect then entered a classroom near the entrance and opened fire once more.
During the assault, the suspect was carrying four Molotov cocktails, also known as petrol bombs, in his bag.
Mr. Milic told police that those who knew K.K. described him as a “model student and model friend.”
The suspect’s head is covered on video as he is led to an adjacent vehicle following his arrest.
Minister of the Interior of Serbia Bratislav Gasic stated that the boy’s father is also being detained.
The minister has stated that the weapon used in the attack was legal, and the father claims that it was secured in a safe, but it appears that the suspect knew the combination.
Mr. Gasic added that the authorities have been informed that the child accompanied his father to shooting ranges to practice using firearms.
The government has declared three days of mourning from May 5 to 7, and classes will recommence tomorrow with a minute of silence.
The student suspect was a ‘silent’ one.
After Serbia’s first mass shooting in ten years, officers with helmets and protective vests roped off the area.
According to reports from Serbia, panicked parents arrived at the school in search of their children.
A pupil who witnessed a portion of the shooting stated that she once shared a classroom with the suspect.
She stated, “He was a quiet guy with excellent grades and a nice appearance, but we didn’t know much about him. He was not as forthcoming with everyone. Certainly, I did not anticipate this happening.”
“My child endured this”
I heard the gunfire downstairs, where we had sports class,” she said.
“It was firing continuously, not one gun at a time; it was firing continuously.
“I had no idea what was occurring; we were receiving some phone messages. Some seventh-grade second-class students were not responding, so we were in grave danger.
“My child survived this, you can’t conceive,” said Astrid Merlini, the mother of a student who watched the shooting. She raced away after seeing a man fall and shot, fearing the gunboy would after her.
“She is in shock, but agreed to speak; however, she is pumped with adrenaline.”
Parents were frantic.
Milan Milosevic stated that his daughter was present in the classroom when the gunfire commenced.
He reported to N1 that she managed to escape. “[The boy] shot the teacher first, and then he began shooting randomly.”
He continued, “I observed the security guard lying beneath the table.” I observed two females with blood-stained shirts. They say he [the shooter] was a decent student and a quiet person. Recently, he entered their class.
RTS said, “I saw students fleeing the school while shrieking.” When the parents arrived, the children were in a frenzy. I then heard three gunshots.”
Due to Serbia’s stringent gun legislation, mass shootings are comparatively uncommon.
The western Balkans have tens of thousands of illegal weapons from 1990s hostilities and turmoil.
The Serbian government has issued several amnesties for gun owners to surrender or register their illicit firearms.
A Balkan war veteran killed 13 people in a central Serbian village in the penultimate mass shooting of 2013.
