PODGORICA, Montenegro (AP) 鈥� A gunman who fatally shot at least 12 people, including two children, in Montenegro has killed himself while surrounded by police, officials said Thursday.
At least four others were wounded in the shooting rampage in the western town of Cetinje on Wednesday that followed a bar brawl, officials said.
The shooter, identified as 45-year-old Aco Martinovi膰, killed the owner of the bar, the bar owner's children and his own family members, Interior Minister Danilo 艩aranovi膰 said.
The attacker, who was fled after the rampage, was later located and surrounded by police. He died after shooting himself in the head, 艩aranovi膰 said.
Police had dispatched a special unit to search for the attacker in the town, which is located about 30 kilometers (18 miles) northwest of the capital, Podgorica. All the roads in and out of the city have been blocked as police swarmed the streets.
艩aranovi膰 said that Martinovi膰 had died while being taken to a hospital in the capital and succumbed from the 鈥渟everity of his injuries.鈥�
The government has declared three days of national mourning starting on Thursday, with Prime Minister Milojko Spaji膰 describing the shooting as a 鈥渢errible tragedy.鈥�
鈥淭he level of rage and brutality shows that sometimes such people ... are even more dangerous than members of organized criminal gangs,鈥� 艩aranovi膰 said.
Martinovi膰 was at the bar throughout the day with other guests when the brawl erupted, Police Commissioner Lazar 艩膰epanovi膰 said. He said that Martinovi膰 then went home, brought back a weapon and opened fire at around 5:30 p.m.
鈥淗e killed four people鈥� at the bar before heading out, and then continued shooting at three more locations, 艩膰epanovi膰 said.
He said that the suspect received a suspended sentence in 2005 for violent behavior and had appealed his latest conviction for illegal weapons possession. Montenegrin media have reported that he was known for erratic and violent behavior.
The small country of Montenegro, which has a population of around 620,000 people, is known for its gun culture and many people traditionally have weapons.
Wednesday鈥檚 shooting was the over the past three years in Cetinje, Montenegro鈥檚 historic capital. An attacker killed 10 people, including two children, in August 2022 before he was shot and killed by a passerby in Cetinje.
President Jakov Milatovi膰 said that he was 鈥渟hocked and stunned鈥� by the tragedy.
鈥淚nstead of holiday joy ... we have been gripped by sadness over the loss of innocent lives,鈥� Milatovic said in a post on X.
Predrag Milic, The Associated Press
