Serbia boosts police presence, tightens gun control after double shooting

People gather near the site of a school shooting in Belgrade, Serbia, on May 3, 2023. (Photo by Nemanja Cabric/Xinhua)

President Vucic announced increased police presence in streets and schools across the country and stricter procedures related to gun ownership.

BELGRADE, May 5 (Xinhua) -- Serbia will implement strict measures to improve general safety and regain the feeling of security after the country saw two shootings, which left 17 dead and over 20 wounded in just 48 hours, the country's President Aleksandar Vucic said at an extraordinary press conference here on Friday.

Accompanied by the members of the government, including Prime Minister Ana Brnabic, Vucic announced increased police presence in the streets and in schools across the country, and stricter procedures related to gun ownership.

"The attack last night was a terrorist attack in which our special counter-terrorist units had the task to arrest or neutralize the terrorist. The villain was arrested, and he will not see the light of day again," Vucic said.

People gather near the site of a school shooting in Belgrade, Serbia, on May 3, 2023. (Photo by Nemanja Cabric/Xinhua)

Vucic explained that the killer had been located thanks to a kidnapped taxi driver, who gave out his location, and that upon surrendering, the perpetrator briefly explained that he had committed the act because he felt "disregarded."

"This is an attack on the whole of our country, and each citizen feels this," Vucic said.

The armed 21-year-old attacker, who killed 8 and injured 14 people in the villages of Sepsin, Malo Orasje and Dubona on Thursday night, was arrested after a comprehensive search on Friday morning, the police said.

This was the second such incident to occur in Serbia this week. On Wednesday, a 13-year-old boy killed 8 students and a security guard and wounded 7 others in an elementary school shooting in Belgrade.

A photographer takes photos of police officers during curfew in downtown Belgrade, Serbia, on March 18, 2020. (Photo by Nemanja Cabric/Xinhua)

Vucic said that the police should hire more people and that they should spend more time in schools. He also called for a revision of the existing private gun permits and for a crackdown on illegal arms. He announced a moratorium on all gun permits and said that the police will beef up patrols in the streets in the upcoming weeks to help the public regain the feeling of security.

The survivors of the two shootings are still recovering under medical care. Some of them are listed in critical condition.