A quiet New Year in the small town of Cetinje, Montenegro, was shattered when a gunman went on a deadly rampage, killing 12 people, including two children, before succumbing to self-inflicted injuries early Thursday. The tragedy, one of the worst mass killings in Montenegro’s history, has left the Balkan nation in shock and mourning.
The attacker, identified by police as 45-year-old Aleksandar Aco Martinovic, began his spree on Wednesday afternoon following a brawl at a local restaurant. According to authorities, Martinovic killed four people at the restaurant before moving to three other locations, where he shot and killed eight more, including two children.
Police said the victims were closely connected to the gunman. “All the victims were his godfathers, friends… the motive is still unknown,” national police director Lazar Scepanovic stated.
A community shaken
Cetinje, located 38 kilometers (24 miles) west of the capital Podgorica, is no stranger to tragedy. This massacre comes less than three years after a 2022 shooting in the same town, where a gunman killed 10 people, including two children, before being fatally shot.
On Thursday, the streets of Cetinje were eerily silent, with public venues closed and residents staying indoors, gripped by fear and grief.
“It was dreadful. Such uncertainty, such fear among all the families in Cetinje. One did not dare to look through the window,” said Slavica Vusurovic, a 43-year-old resident.
Another resident, 64-year-old Slobo Matic, expressed heartbreak over the tragedy. “When I saw it on TV, I started crying… This is the second such tragedy in Cetinje,” he said.
The shooter’s final moments
After the deadly rampage, Martinovic was cornered by police near his home. According to Interior Minister Danilo Saranovic, the gunman attempted suicide when he realized there was no escape.
“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 the transport to hospital,” Saranovic told Montenegro’s state broadcaster, RTCG.
Investigators revealed that Martinovic had been heavily intoxicated and had a history of illegal weapons possession. The violence began after an altercation with patrons at the restaurant. Following the brawl, Martinovic returned to his home, retrieved a weapon, and then unleashed his deadly rampage, police said.
Four additional people were seriously injured during the attack, with one in critical condition, according to Aleksandar Radovic, director of the Clinical Centre in Podgorica.
National mourning and a call for action
Montenegro’s Prime Minister Milojko Spajic called the massacre a “terrible tragedy” and declared three days of national mourning. President Jakov Milatovic expressed his horror at the events, saying, “I am deeply shocked and saddened by this senseless act of violence.”
Prime Minister Spajic has scheduled a session of the National Security Council for Friday to address the aftermath of the shooting and discuss measures to tackle the widespread presence of illegal firearms in the country.
The government issued a statement detailing proposed measures, which include stricter gun control laws, tighter criteria for firearm ownership, and the recruitment of additional police officers.
However, implementing stricter gun laws may face resistance in Montenegro, a country with a deeply entrenched gun culture. Despite existing laws, the Western Balkans region remains inundated with weapons, many of which date back to the wars of the 1990s. Some weapons in circulation even trace their origins to World War I.
A nation grappling with violence
The tragedy in Cetinje has reignited concerns about the prevalence of firearms in Montenegro and the broader Western Balkans. While the region has made strides in regulating firearms, the legacy of past conflicts continues to fuel a culture of gun ownership.
For the people of Cetinje, the latest mass shooting marks yet another grim chapter in their history. As the nation mourns, the focus now turns to addressing the systemic issues that allowed such violence to occur and ensuring that such a tragedy is not repeated.
Montenegro, a country of just over 600,000 people, faces the difficult task of balancing its cultural heritage with the urgent need for reform. The events in Cetinje serve as a stark reminder of the devastating consequences of unchecked access to firearms and the importance of preventing future acts of violence.