Parents Sentenced in Belgrade Mass Shooting Case as Community Demands Answers

Following a mass shooting at a Belgrade elementary school in May 2023, where nine children and a caretaker died, the shooter's parents have been sentenced to prison for failing to secure firearms and neglecting their son. The tragic events also include a second shooting just days later, exacerbating national grief and calls for accountability.

The parents of a teenage boy responsible for the devastating mass shooting at Vladislav Ribnikar Elementary School in Belgrade, Serbia, have been sentenced to prison as the nation grapples with the aftermath of the tragedy that occurred in May 2023. The incident, which claimed the lives of nine children and a security guard, prompted a national dialogue surrounding parental responsibility and gun safety.

On Monday, the Belgrade high court sentenced Vladimir Kecmanović, the boy's father, to 14-and-a-half years in prison, while his mother, Miljana Kecmanović, received a three-year sentence. In addition, Nemanja Marinković, an instructor at a local shooting club who taught the boy how to use a gun, was sentenced to one year and three months.

The shooter, identified only as KK and aged 13 at the time of the incident, has been held in a psychiatric facility since the attack and cannot be criminally prosecuted due to his age. However, his parents faced charges related to "serious acts against general safety" for allegedly failing to secure their firearms and ammunition properly. Both parents denied these charges during their trial, which was conducted behind closed doors.

The court found Vladimir guilty of endangering public safety due to his negligence in properly securing the weapon and teaching his son to shoot. Miljana was also found guilty of neglecting a minor but was acquitted of charges involving illegal possession of weapons. This ruling has further intensified the ongoing discourse in Serbia about child safety and gun control regulations.

Testimony during the trial revealed heartrending details, including the boy's prior normal life before the tragedy. Parents of the victims, who attended the trial seeking clarity on the motives behind their children's deaths, described the hearing as "one of the most harrowing trials" they had ever experienced.

Meanwhile, the community's grief deepened just two days after the school shooting when a separate attack resulted in the deaths of eight more individuals at the hands of a 21-year-old man in a nearby village. The surge in violence has left the nation reeling, with calls for more stringent gun control measures and societal changes to prevent future tragedies.

As Serbia continues to mourn, the trials of the boy's parents have become a focal point for discussions about accountability, safety, and the complexities of preventing such horrific incidents in the future.