Montenegro restaurant firing leaves several dead: police
1. Montenegrin PM calls incident "terrible tragedy" and declares three days of national mourning
A gunman opened fire at a restaurant in Cetinje, Montenegro's historic capital, on Wednesday, killing at least ten people, including two children.
After shooting inside the restaurant, the assailant continued firing outside. Police and local media confirmed the deaths, with initial reports suggesting a confrontation at the restaurant preceded the attack. Some victims were killed at the scene, while others, including two children, were shot outside as the gunman fled, according to the news portal CDM.
Montenegrin police confirmed that at least four people were killed. In a live TV broadcast outside a medical center, Prime Minister Milojko Spajic described the event as a "terrible tragedy" and announced three days of national mourning. Though the total number of casualties was not immediately clear, Spajic confirmed that four individuals had been transferred to a hospital in the capital, Podgorica, for surgery.
Initial investigations suggest the perpetrator had no known ties to organized crime, with the shooting following a brawl in which firearms were used, according to Spajic.
President Jakov Milatovic also expressed shock at the tragedy, offering prayers for the recovery of the injured.
The streets of Cetinje were eerily quiet, covered in snow, with law enforcement officers combing the hills surrounding the town. Special police and anti-terrorist units were deployed in search of the suspect, and locals were urged to remain indoors. Police cordoned off a neighborhood as officers searched for the gunman.
Montenegro's Police Directorate stated that all available units were working to apprehend the suspect.
Mass shootings are rare in Montenegro, a country with a strong gun culture. A similar incident in 2022 claimed the lives of 11 people, including two children and the gunman, and left six others wounded. Despite strict gun laws, the region is flooded with weapons, many leftover from the wars of the 1990s, with some dating back to World War I.
Prime Minister Spajic indicated that authorities would impose stricter regulations on firearms, possibly considering a complete ban on weapons.
