By JOVANA GEC and DUSAN STOJANOVIC (Associated Press)
BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) — A 13-year-old who opened fireplace Wednesday at his college in Serbia’s capital drew sketches of lecture rooms and wrote a listing of individuals he meant to focus on in a meticulously deliberate assault, police stated. He killed eight fellow college students and a college guard earlier than being arrested.
The shooter first killed a guard on the college in central Belgrade after which three college students in a hallway, in response to senior police official Veselin Milic. He then entered a historical past classroom — apparently selecting it just because it was near the doorway — and opened fireplace once more, Milic stated.
The assailant known as police himself when the assault was over, although authorities acquired a name reporting the capturing two minutes earlier.
A father of a scholar stated the shooter entered his daughter’s classroom, firing at her instructor after which her classmates as they ducked beneath their desks. Most college students on the college have been capable of flee by means of a again door, in response to a neighborhood official.
Authorities declared three days of nationwide mourning, beginning Friday.
Mass shootings are extraordinarily uncommon in Serbia and within the wider Balkan area; none have been reported at faculties in recent times. In the final mass capturing, a Balkan warfare veteran in 2013 killed 13 individuals in a central Serbian village.
Experts, nevertheless, have repeatedly warned of the hazard posed by the big variety of weapons within the nation after the wars of the Nineties. They additionally notice that many years of instability stemming from the conflicts in addition to the continued financial hardship may set off such outbursts.
Police recognized the shooter as Kosta Kecmanovic, who attended the Vladislav Ribnikar college, the place college students would usually vary in age from 6 to fifteen.
Kecmanovic carried two weapons belonging to his father — not less than one a handgun —and 4 Molotov cocktails, officers stated. Interior Minister Bratislav Gasic stated the weapons have been licensed and stored in a secure however the teen, who had been to capturing ranges, apparently knew the code. The father was additionally arrested.
It’s not clear what number of rounds have been fired, however police stated the shooter reloaded the handgun at one level.
Police confirmed reporters a sketch they stated he had drawn of lecture rooms and Milic stated he additionally wrote out a listing of youngsters he deliberate to “liquidate” within the assault that he deliberate for a month.
In addition to the 9 killed, six kids and a instructor have been additionally hospitalized.
Local media footage confirmed a commotion as police eliminated Kecmanovic, whose head was coated as officers led him to a automobile. Police sealed off the blocks across the college. Authorities later carried physique baggage to a ready van.
Police stated they acquired a name concerning the capturing at round 8:40 a.m. on the primary day that lessons resumed after a protracted weekend for the May 1 vacation.
“I was able to hear the shooting. It was nonstop,” stated a scholar who was in a sports activities class when gunfire erupted elsewhere within the constructing. Her mom requested that her title be withheld due to her age. “I didn’t know what was happening. We were receiving some messages on the phone.”
The scholar described the shooter as a “quiet guy” who had good grades.
“He was not so open with everybody. Surely I wasn’t expecting this to happen,” she stated.
Milan Nedeljkovic, the mayor of the Belgrade space of Vracar the place the capturing occurred, stated that many of the college students have been taken out a again door of the varsity.
“We have video surveillance, but now this is a lesson, we need metal detectors too,” he stated. “It is a huge tragedy … something like this (happening) in Belgrade. Such a tragedy at an elementary school.”
Four college students and a instructor have been despatched to University hospital, in response to the hospital’s director, who stated one little one and the instructor have been in critical situation.
Milan Milosevic, who stated his daughter was in a historical past class when the capturing came about, instructed N1 tv that he rushed to the varsity when he heard what had occurred. He acquired a name from his daughter who had gotten out of the constructing and was unhurt.
“He (the shooter) fired first at the teacher and then the children who ducked under the desks,” Milosevic stated his daughter instructed him.
Source: www.bostonherald.com”