In a landmark trial following the tragic mass shooting in Belgrade that claimed the lives of nine students and a security guard, the parents of the perpetrator have been sentenced to prison for negligence.
Parents of Belgrade School Shooter Sentenced to Prison for Negligence
Parents of Belgrade School Shooter Sentenced to Prison for Negligence
Outcomes of tragic school shooting heighten scrutiny on parental responsibility and gun safety in Serbia.
In May 2023, a devastating attack took place at Vladislav Ribnikar elementary school in Belgrade, where a then 13-year-old student, known only as KK, killed nine children and a security guard. On Monday, the boy's father, Vladimir Kecmanović, was sentenced to 14-and-a-half years in prison, while his mother, Miljana Kecmanović, received a three-year sentence. The couple was found guilty of a "serious act against general safety" due to their failure to secure firearm resources adequately.
The case further incorporated the legal accountability of Nemanja Marinković, an instructor from a local shooting club, who taught KK how to use a gun. He received a sentence of one year and three months. As the young shooter is below the legal age for criminal responsibility, he has been undergoing treatment in a psychiatric institution and is unable to stand trial himself.
The trial was conducted behind closed doors, with Vladimir charged with endangering public safety, alongside allegations of neglect towards a minor. Miljana was similarly found guilty of neglect but was acquitted of charges regarding illegal possession of weapons. During recent court proceedings, parents of the victims attended with hopes of understanding the motives behind KK's violent actions.
A lawyer representing the aggrieved families described hearing KK testify as one of the most traumatic experiences in their legal practice. The context of this trial comes in the wake of a series of violent incidents, including another mass shooting in Serbia that occurred less than 48 hours after the school attack, leaving the nation in mourning and prompting calls for action on gun control and improved safety measures.
The case further incorporated the legal accountability of Nemanja Marinković, an instructor from a local shooting club, who taught KK how to use a gun. He received a sentence of one year and three months. As the young shooter is below the legal age for criminal responsibility, he has been undergoing treatment in a psychiatric institution and is unable to stand trial himself.
The trial was conducted behind closed doors, with Vladimir charged with endangering public safety, alongside allegations of neglect towards a minor. Miljana was similarly found guilty of neglect but was acquitted of charges regarding illegal possession of weapons. During recent court proceedings, parents of the victims attended with hopes of understanding the motives behind KK's violent actions.
A lawyer representing the aggrieved families described hearing KK testify as one of the most traumatic experiences in their legal practice. The context of this trial comes in the wake of a series of violent incidents, including another mass shooting in Serbia that occurred less than 48 hours after the school attack, leaving the nation in mourning and prompting calls for action on gun control and improved safety measures.
