In a case that has left Serbia grappling with grief and debate over public safety, the parents of a teenage boy who carried out a devastating mass shooting at Vladislav Ribnikar elementary school in Belgrade in May 2023 have faced significant legal consequences. After a trial that was conducted behind closed doors, the father, Vladimir Kecmanović, received a sentence of 14-and-a-half years, while the mother, Miljana Kecmanović, was given a three-year prison term due to their failure to properly secure firearms.
Parents Sentenced Following Tragic Belgrade School Shooting
Parents Sentenced Following Tragic Belgrade School Shooting
The parents of a teen shooter responsible for a mass shooting in Belgrade have been sentenced to prison for their negligence.
The tragic incident resulted in the deaths of nine children and a security guard, an atrocity that shocked the nation. The shooter, identified only as KK, was just 13 years old at the time of the attack and remains in a psychiatric facility due to being below the age of criminal responsibility. During the trial, the parents were found guilty of endangering public safety, particularly for not securing their guns and ammunition adequately. Miljana was acquitted of illegally possessing firearms but found guilty of neglecting a minor.
Nemanja Marinković, an instructor at a local shooting club who provided the boy with gun training, was also sentenced to one year and three months imprisonment. In a rare appearance, KK was brought to the court to provide testimony as a witness, discussing his actions during the incident that left the community devastated. The courtroom was filled with parents of the slain children, who sought answers about their children's murder in one of the most painful trials in recent memory.
The aftermath of the shooting immediately plunged Serbia into mourning, culminating in even more violence within days when another mass shooting claimed eight lives in a nearby village. As discussions on security and youth violence continue, the public grapples with understanding the motives behind such harrowing events, with a lawyer for the victims' families stating that no legal proceedings could fully unravel the complexities of what led to that fateful day.
Nemanja Marinković, an instructor at a local shooting club who provided the boy with gun training, was also sentenced to one year and three months imprisonment. In a rare appearance, KK was brought to the court to provide testimony as a witness, discussing his actions during the incident that left the community devastated. The courtroom was filled with parents of the slain children, who sought answers about their children's murder in one of the most painful trials in recent memory.
The aftermath of the shooting immediately plunged Serbia into mourning, culminating in even more violence within days when another mass shooting claimed eight lives in a nearby village. As discussions on security and youth violence continue, the public grapples with understanding the motives behind such harrowing events, with a lawyer for the victims' families stating that no legal proceedings could fully unravel the complexities of what led to that fateful day.
