A 45-year-old man Wednesday (Jan 1) shot himself in the head after going on a shooting spree in the southern Montenegro city of Cetinje, killing at least 12 people, including two kids. According to authorities, the man, named Aco Martinović, went on a rampage at around 5:30 pm local time (1630 GMT) in Bajice village near Cetinje but later moved to nearby locations.

Advertisment

“He killed four people at the bar, and then continued shooting at three more locations," said Police chief Lazar Scepanovic. “He tried to take the lives of four more people, and then fled with the vehicle he was using, which we have found.”

Scepanovic told media that a manhunt was launched to nab the suspect but the man killed himself after being surrounded by police officers. "An attempt was made to transport him to a clinical centre but he succumbed to his injuries in the meantime," the officer said. According to the interior minister, Danilo Saranovic, the suspect had also "killed members of his own family".

Prime Minister Milojko Spajic described the incident as “terrible tragedy”, saying it has “struck all of us in Centinje.”

Advertisment

Also read: New Orleans attack: 15 killed as man ploughs truck into New Year crowd; suspect shot dead

'Shocked and stunned'

"It was simply a restaurant fight where guns were drawn and everything went in a different direction in which it should not have gone," he said. "This is a tragedy after which we must ask ourselves who should be allowed to possess firearms in Montenegro," said the PM.

Advertisment

President Jakov Milatović said he was “shocked and stunned” by the tragedy. “Instead of holiday joy … we have been gripped by sadness over the loss of innocent lives”, he said on X.

Also read: India: Man shoots video after killing mother, 4 sisters in Lucknow hotel on New Year's Eve

At least four people were left wounded during the rampage and they were rushed to a hospital in the capital Podgorica. Police Chief Scepanovic later confirmed their lives were "no longer in danger".

The officer said the 45-year-old gunman consumed alcoholic beverages all day before he went on the shooting spree. He earlier "went home, took a weapon, used firearms and killed four people at one location" and then moved to three other places.

The government has declared three days of national mourning.

(With inputs from agencies)