Montenegro police announced they would begin daily patrols of schools as a result of the uptick in school mass shootings in Serbia.
The news comes amid concerns of increasing youth violence throughout the country, and after two mass shootings caused widespread alarm in neighboring Serbia.
On 3 May, one of the mass shootings in Serbia left eight pupils and a security worker dead. The minor who committed the crime was born in 2009, and used his father’s guns to commit the crime.
Of the attack, the chief of Belgrade police Veselin Milic said authorities received the first call regarding the emergency at around 8:40am. The call was made by the school deputy director.
Police then received a call from the suspect, who confessed to his crimes.
Of the victims, seven young girls were killed, and one boy. Police investigations revealed the suspect had “planned the execution of this criminal offense over a long period of time.”
A second mass shooting took place the next day, on 4 May, in in the villages of Dubona and Malo Orasje. The shooting killed eight people and wounded a further 13.
Police in Montenegro said uniformed police officers and inspectors in civilian clothes would begin to patrol schoolyards and areas around schools daily.
“After meetings with principals of elementary and high schools in the country, we decided to undertake controls in order to prevent youth violence and create a safer environment for students. Police officers will control school areas but also monitor social media for possible announcements of student fights,” the Montenegro police directorate told reporters.
Montenegrin police also reported the arrests of three 18-year-olds and one minor in the previous two days, on charges of using weapons. One minor was arrested for promoting violence on social media.
On 9 May, the Basic Court in Tivat ordered 10 days in prison for an 18-year-old known as B.B. for firing a gas gun into the air. Police arrested 18-year-old J.K. on the same day in the resort of Risan, after police found knives and metal boxers in his car at the school car park.
In the northern town of Plav, on 9 May, police arrested two individuals for using weapons. One of the individuals was a minor. Police said the two were practicing shooting a nearby mountain, and guns and ammunition were found during a police raid of their house.
Across the border, Serbian authorities have arrested dozens of people for making posts to social media that appear to glorify violence or support the mass shootings in any way.
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