A 13-yr-old boy who opened fire at his school in the Serbian capital drew sketches of classrooms and made a list of people he planned to target in a carefully planned attack, police said, reports Breaking News.
The boy killed eight classmates and a guard before calling the police and being arrested.
Mass shootings are extremely rare in the Balkan region, although Serbia is full of guns left over from the wars of the 1990s. There have been no reported mass shootings in Serbian schools in recent years.
The boy first killed a school guard and then three students in a hall, according to senior police officer Veselin Milic.
He then went into a history classroom near the school’s entrance and opened fire again, Mr Milic said, reports Breaking News.
Authorities announced three days of mourning across the country, starting on Friday.
The police identified the boy as Kosta Kecmanovic, who attended the Vladislav Ribnikar school, where the students are between six and 15 years old.
Because he is under 14, criminal charges cannot be brought against him, the Belgrade prosecutor’s office said.
Social services will decide what happens to him.
He carried two guns that belonged to his father – at least one a handgun – and four petrol bombs, officials said.
Interior Minister Bratislav Gasic said that the weapons were licensed and kept in a safe but the teenager, who was in firing ranges, seems to know the code. The father was also arrested but has yet to be charged, reports Breaking News.
Footage in local media showed commotion as police removed Kecmanovic, whose head was covered, as officers led him to a car. Police sealed off the blocks around the school. Authorities later carried body bags to a waiting van.
Police said they received a call about the shooting at around 8.40am during the day classes again after a long holiday weekend on May 1.
One student described the attacker as a “quiet guy” with good grades.
“He was not so open with everybody. Surely I wasn’t expecting this to happen,” she added, reports Breaking News.
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