Tragedy Strikes Montenegro: Gunman Opens Fire in Cetinje Bar, Four Dead
A gunman opened fire in a bar just outside Cetinje, Montenegro, on January 1, resulting in the deaths of at least four individuals, as confirmed by police. The suspect, identified as 45-year-old Aco Martinovic, fled the scene, prompting the deployment of special police units to locate him. According to Aleksandar Radovic, the director of the Clinical Center in Cetinje, three men and one woman were seriously injured in the attack and were transported to the hospital, where their conditions remain life-threatening.
In response to this horrific incident, Prime Minister Milojko Spajic visited the hospital to check on the injured and announced a three-day mourning period for the victims. He described the event as a "terrible tragedy" that occurred in the village of Bajice, located near Cetinje. Spajic emphasized that medical staff were doing everything possible to save the lives of the injured.
The police have urged residents of Cetinje, which is historically significant and situated approximately 30 kilometers northwest of Montenegro's capital Podgorica, to stay indoors while the manhunt for Martinovic is underway. A police statement revealed that some of the victims were members of the Martinovic family.
Special police units are actively working to manage the situation and bring the perpetrator to justice, asserting that the attack does not appear to be tied to a confrontation between organized crime groups.
In light of the tragedy, the Montenegrin government has declared that mourning will commence on January 2, leading to the cancellation of New Year's concerts in popular areas such as Podgorica, Budva, and Kotor. This incident marks the second mass shooting in Cetinje in recent years; in August 2022, an attacker killed ten people, including two children, before being shot dead by a bystander in the city.
This latest shooting has sent shockwaves through the community, highlighting ongoing concerns regarding safety and violence in Montenegro.
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