Kosta Kecmanović, a 13-year-old pupil, is identified as the shooter behind a planned attack that took the lives of eight children and a school security guard.

On May 3, 2023, a tragic shooting occurred at the Vladislav Ribnikar school in Belgrade, Serbia, where 13-year-old Kosta Kecmanović opened fire, killing eight children and a security guard. Additionally, six other pupils and the teacher sustained injuries. The horrific attack was reportedly planned for over a month and involved two firearms stolen from Kecmanović’s father, who had kept them in a locked safe. The boy also had access to the code that opened the safe.

Belgrade police revealed that Kecmanović had prepared for the massacre by creating a list of students he intended to target, detailing their classes. Police Chief Veselin Milić stated that Kecmanović had even made sketches of his plan, which resembled something out of a video game or a horror film. These sketches included the names of his victims, seven girls and one boy, all born between 2009 and 2011.

The shooting began when Kecmanović attacked the school’s security guard and three girls in a hallway, before walking into a history class and shooting the teacher and five more students. After confessing to the crime, Kecmanović was arrested in the school playground. Due to his age, he will not face criminal charges but will be placed in a psychiatric institution for evaluation.

The Serbian interior minister revealed that Kecmanović’s father had claimed the guns were locked away safely, but it appears his son had access to the safe’s code. The boy managed to take two pistols and several magazines of ammunition, which he used during the attack.

Serbia has declared three days of mourning for the victims, and government officials, including the health minister, expressed their profound shock and sorrow over the event. The security guard who was killed is being remembered for likely preventing further deaths by trying to intervene in the attack.

Local residents and students recounted their experiences, with one girl, who had been in a different classroom, describing how the shooting was non-stop, leaving her and her classmates in confusion and fear. Kecmanović was described by peers as a quiet and seemingly well-behaved student who kept to himself, making the shooting all the more shocking for those who knew him.

The tragic loss of life has raised questions about gun safety, mental health, and the increasing threat of school violence. The shooter’s parents have been arrested, and further investigations are underway to understand how the attack could have been prevented.