Tragic Cetinje Shooting Claims 10 Lives, Including Two Children

In a tragic event in Cetinje, Montenegro, a shooting linked to a bar fight resulted in the deaths of 10 individuals, including two children, leading to a nationwide mourning period and discussions on gun control.

On January 1, 2025, a brutal shooting in the city of Cetinje, Montenegro, left at least 10 people dead, including two children, following a dispute at a local bar. The incident escalated quickly, prompting a widespread search for the assailant, whose identity was later confirmed as 45-year-old Aco Martinovic. Interior Minister Danilo Saranovic announced the tragic news during a press briefing, indicating that among the deceased were the bar owner and his children.

As authorities initially focused on capturing the suspect, Prime Minister Milojko Spajic later revealed that Martinovic had taken his own life. Reports emerged stating that he suffered self-inflicted wounds, a tragic conclusion to a horrifying day. The attack also left four individuals critically injured, prompting calls for immediate re-evaluation of firearm laws within the Balkan nation.

In the wake of this tragedy, the government declared a three-day period of mourning, with President Jakov Milatovic expressing profound sorrow for the innocent lives lost. Councils nationwide were advised to suspend festivities and public events, replacing holiday celebrations with reflective remembrance. “We have been gripped by sadness over the loss of innocent lives,” he lamented as the nation grappled with the repercussions of such violence.

This sad incident marks the second mass shooting in Cetinje within three years. A similar event occurred in 2022, when another gunman killed 10 people, igniting discussions about the high rates of gun ownership in the country. With a reported 39 firearms per 100 people, Montenegro has a firearm ownership rate that rivals that of Serbia and trails only the United States and Yemen.

As the government embarks on discussions for stricter firearm regulations, there is a collective hope that this horrific event may catalyze change and prevent future tragedies.