The devastating Belgrade primary school shooting that claimed nine young lives and left a nation reeling has led to a second set of convictions for the parents involved. Vladimir Kecmanović, father of the 13-year-old perpetrator, was sentenced to 14 years and six months in prison, while his wife Miljana Kecmanović received two years and 11 months.
The tragic events unfolded on May 3rd, 2023, at Vladislav Ribnikar school, where a boy below the age of criminal responsibility used handguns taken from his father's safe to carry out the deadly attacks. In addition to the ten fatalities, five children and a teacher were left seriously injured. The perpetrator has since been placed in a psychiatric institution.
The initial trial in 2024 saw Vladimir Kecmanović convicted on charges related to training his son to handle firearms and failing to store them safely. Miljana Kecmanović was acquitted of possessing firearms illegally but found guilty of neglect. However, the Belgrade Court of Appeal intervened in November 2023, ordering a retrial due to concerns over the original verdicts' rationale.
During the new trial, which began in January, prosecutors argued that convicting the parents would help address the nation's collective grief and provide answers for the victims' families. The court heard disturbing details of the attack, including that the boy fired 66 bullets within a two-minute timeframe. Defence lawyers maintained that there was insufficient evidence to prove neglect and argued that the new verdict mirrored the overturned initial ruling.
The Belgrade school shooting sent shockwaves throughout Serbia, prompting unprecedented public outrage with tens of thousands marching in protest. In response, the government launched a nationwide gun amnesty programme and tightened firearms legislation to prevent such tragedies from happening again.