8 dead, 13 injured in drive-by shooting in Serbia

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
5 May 2023 09:47
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About 600 law enforcers and members of an elite anti-terrorist unit had been deployed in the area to look for the shooter.

Security forces operate at a checkpoint during the aftermath of a shooting, in Dubona (Reuters)

Serbian state news reported early Friday that a manhunt has ended after a gunman claimed the lives of at least eight people and injured 13 in a drive-by shooting on Thursday.

This marks the second mass shooting in Serbia over the past two days, in a country where mass shootings are an extremely rare occurrence.

The shooter is reportedly identified as Uros Blazic who is 21 years of age. The shooting took place in a town near Belgrade, in Mladenovac, where Blazic opened fire from a moving vehicle using an automatic weapon, according to state-run RTS television.

Mass shooting in the village of Dubona in Belgrade, Serbia.

Shooter is Uros Blazic

He shot and killed his sister, a cop and at least 8 others

Trying to get more info — hard for me I’m unfamiliar with news outside of the USA#belgrade #serbia #breaking #news #breakingnews… pic.twitter.com/bK9xCfYtEJ
— Crime With Bobby (@crimewithbobby) May 4, 2023

RTS further noted that the shooting spree took place across three different villages in the area. About 600 law enforcers and members of an elite anti-terrorist unit had been deployed in the area to look for the shooter.

This comes just two days after a school shooting claimed the lives of nine people.

The country has been left in a state of complete shock following the two tragic events. Serbia is set to start a three-day mourning period in what was supposed to be a time of festivities across the nation.

During an address delivered on Wednesday, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said that the school shooting event was "one of the most difficult days" in recent history. He also vowed to push for stricter gun control measures, as well as a two-year moratorium on issuing permits for firearms.

The Serbian Interior Ministry also called on all firearm owners to keep their guns locked in safe, warning that those who fail to abide by the measure will face the risk of having their weapons seized.

Crowds of mourners continue to lay candles and flowers along the pavement of the Vladislav Ribnikar elementary school which remained closed off Thursday with police guarding the premises.