On January 1, in the historical capital of Montenegro, Cetinje, after a domestic dispute in a restaurant, a local resident shot the patrons. As a result of the shooting, 12 people died, including two children, and four people were injured.
The 45-year-old Aco Martinović had a conflict with a patron of the tavern. He went home for a gun, returned to the tavern, and killed and injured several people. After that, he proceeded further into the city, where he killed the tavern owner's children and a woman.
The shooter was searched for several hours, he was found severely wounded near his home in Cetinje. Martinović committed suicide by shooting himself in the head and died on the way to the hospital.
From January 2, mourning has been declared in Montenegro, it will last for three days, all entertainment events are canceled.
As reported by the country's Ministry of Internal Affairs, Martinović is not connected to any of Montenegro's criminal groups, but he was previously recognized as a person with aggressive behavior and was arrested for illegal possession of weapons.
Illegal possession of weapons and access to them by mentally unstable individuals is a major problem for Balkan countries, including Montenegro. The country is flooded with weapons illegally stored by local residents, notes the channel “Montenegro News.” Since the enactment of the “Weapons Law” in Montenegro, citizens have voluntarily returned 2,929 firearms, 521 explosive devices (most often hand grenades), 1,453 units of weapons, and 61,159 bullets of various calibers.
Following the incident, the authorities of Montenegro are considering the possibility of a complete ban on gun ownership.
Photo: Reuters