The Higher Court in Belgrade sentenced the father of the boy to 14 years and six months in prison for “grave acts against public safety” and for child neglect. The mother was sentenced to three years in prison for child neglect but was acquitted on charges of illegal possession of weapons.
The shooter, identified as Kosta Kecmanovic, was 13 years old when he committed the crime and therefore too young to face a trial, according to Serbian law. His parents were detained soon after the shooting and charged for failing to keep the weapons out of reach of their son.
The massacre at the Vladislav Ribnikar primary school in central Belgrade on May 3, 2023, shocked the Balkan nation which was used to crises but where mass school shootings had never happened before.
The couple's lawyer, Irina Borovic, said the verdict came as no surprise “because public pressure was enormous and the expectations were huge.” Borovic said she will appeal the verdicts.
Ninela Radicevic, who lost her daughter in the shooting, said “we are not satisfied because no one was held responsible for the murder of nine children” and the school guard.
The boy used his father's guns to open fire on his fellow pupils and others. He walked into the school and first opened fire in the hall before heading into a classroom where he continued shooting.
