PODGORICA – At least ten people including two children have been killed after a bar fight in Montenegro, and the incident sent shock waves across the country of around half a million.
The deadly shooting occurred near the western Montenegrin city of Cetinje where 45-year-old Aco Martinovic, fled the scene after killing the bar owner, his family, and his own relatives following a bar fight. Police then launched a manhunt for him, blocking roads in and out of the city.
Reports called it the second such shooting in Cetinje in the last three years, while the government declared three days of mourning amid shock.
Special police units have been dispatched to search for the attacker, who opened fire at a bar before fleeing the scene. Montenegro’s President Jakov Milatovic mourned the loss as the country was gripped by grief during the holiday period. Prime Minister Milojko Spajic, who visited the hospital where the wounded are being treated, declared three days of national mourning but did not release further details on the death toll.
In recent years, Montenegro remains in the news for its strong gun culture, and many residents traditionally own firearms. Latest incident is said to be the second such rampage in Cetinje in the past three years. In August 2022, a gunman killed 10 people, including two children, before being shot by a bystander.
The suspect has been named as Aco Martinovic, who was known for erratic behavior and had previously been detained for illegal weapon possession.
