The suspect, a conflict veteran, enters a non-public nursing residence in Daruvar and kills six folks in a uncommon case of gun violence within the Balkan nation.
A gunman entered a non-public nursing residence in northwestern Croatia and shot lifeless 5 folks, together with his mom, and wounded six others, a authorities minister mentioned.
One of many folks injured on Monday later died in hospital, elevating the demise toll to 6, whereas 4 remained in vital situation, Marin Piletic, minister of labor, pension system, households and social coverage, instructed reporters.
One of many victims was an worker of a nursing residence, the minister mentioned.
“In line with the knowledge we’ve got, the killer’s mom had been within the nursing residence for 10 years,” Piletic mentioned.
Authorities haven’t revealed any motive for the assault.
In line with Croatian media, the attacker, born in 1973, is a conflict veteran. The suspect fled the scene, however was caught by police in a restaurant close to the nursing residence in Daruvar, a spa city within the Slavonia municipality with a inhabitants of 8,500.
Police mentioned they have been knowledgeable of the incident at 10:10 am (08:10 GMT) and confirmed the suspect had entered the nursing residence and used a firearm.
The suspect is “underneath police supervision,” in accordance with an announcement from the regional police workplace.
Police mentioned the attacker used an unregistered weapon. Many weapons are saved in personal houses in Croatia after the breakup of Yugoslavia within the Nineties and the wars that adopted.
The assault has left the quiet city in shock and grief. Daruvar Mayor Damir Lnenicek instructed N1 that everybody was in a state of shock.
“It’s troublesome to say what the trigger was, what the set off was. That will likely be decided by the investigation,” Lnenicek mentioned, including that the tragedy occurred in a non-public home the place about 20 folks stay.
President Zoran Milanovic mentioned he was “shocked” by the “savage and unprecedented crime”.
“It is a horrifying warning and a last name to all related establishments to do extra to stop violence in society, together with even stricter management of gun possession,” he mentioned.
Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic condemned the crime.
“That is actually a monstrous act of homicide of a bunch of individuals, of the mom and different very aged individuals who have been there,” he mentioned.
Shootings in Croatia are uncommon, and Monday’s incident is among the many worst within the nation’s historical past because it declared independence in 1991.
Final yr, neighbouring Serbia was rocked by two consecutive mass shootings, together with one at a college within the capital Belgrade that left 10 folks lifeless.
