At least eight killed and 13 injured in drive-by capturing in Serbia

At least eight folks have been killed and 13 injured in a drive-by type capturing in Serbia as police hunt for the gunman, state TV reported.

The attacker used an automated weapon to shoot randomly at folks close to the city of Mladenovac, some 50km south of the capital Belgrade on Thursday night time, the Radio Television of Serbia (RTS) mentioned.

Police are trying to find a 21-year-old suspect recognized solely as U.B. in a manhunt dubbed Operation Whirlwind, it added.

The capturing comes lower than 48 hours after a 13-year previous boy shot lifeless 9 folks at a faculty in Belgrade earlier than turning himself in.

Serbian inside minister Bratislav Gasic described the newest capturing as a “terrorist act”, Serbian news portal Telegraf reported, with out offering additional element.

According to native media, after a late-night argument in a faculty yard close to Mladenovac, the suspect returned with an assault rifle, opened fireplace and continued to shoot at folks at random from a transferring automobile.

No different particulars had been instantly out there, and police had not issued any statements.

A Reuters witness noticed closely armed police establishing a checkpoint and looking incoming site visitors, close to the village of Dubona, not removed from Mladenovac.

A helicopter, drones and a number of police patrols additionally looked for the suspect among the many hills and forests round Dubona.

Eight kids and a safety guard had been killed in Wednesday’s capturing at Vladislav Ribnikar main faculty in Belgrade.

Police mentioned the 13-year-old boy had used two handguns he had taken from his father and had deliberate the assault for a month. They added that the boy drew sketches of school rooms and made lists of the youngsters he deliberate to kill.

The capturing additionally left seven folks hospitalised – six kids and a trainer. One lady who was shot within the head stays in a life-threatening situation, and a boy is in critical situation with spinal accidents, docs mentioned on Thursday morning.

The nation’s first mass faculty capturing prompted the federal government to announce harder guidelines on gun possession.

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Serbia’s president introduced a moratorium on new gun licences besides these for looking, and a overview of current permits, with extra surveillance of capturing ranges and of how folks retailer their weapons.

Police urged residents to lock up their weapons and maintain them secure, away from kids.

On Thursday, 1000’s of individuals gathered in central Belgrade to put flowers and light-weight candles to commemorate these killed within the capturing on Wednesday morning.

Gun tradition is widespread in Serbia and elsewhere within the Balkans: The area is among the many high in Europe within the variety of weapons per capita.