Croatia: Attacker kills five people in nursing home
A former soldier storms into a nursing home in Croatia with a firearm. Reports indicate that he killed his mother and four other people, while more were injured. The police were able to apprehend the man quickly.
In Croatia, a man is reported to have killed six people at a nursing home. The Croatian police confirmed his arrest. Meanwhile, State President Zoran Milanovic called on the institutions of his country to better control private gun ownership. Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic spoke of a "monstrous act".
According to consistent media reports, the man also killed his mother living there. Among the victims were reportedly other nursing home residents and a caregiver. The man is said to have entered the nursing home in Daruvar, central Croatia, and shot indiscriminately. Five people were reportedly killed instantly, and one later died in the hospital. Seven injured people were reportedly taken to the hospital, three of whom were critical. A total of 20 elderly people lived in the home.
A caregiver at the facility told the "index.hr" portal that she hid under a bed during the shooting. Her boss reportedly fled through a window.
The attacker was reportedly apprehended by the police shortly thereafter at his nearby café. The suspect was identified as a retired military policeman, born in 1973, according to the "mojportal.hr" portal. He was awarded for services to the country by the then-president Franjo Tudjman in 1996. The police stated that they had previously intervened against him three times, for domestic violence and disturbance of public order. Known associates described him as an alcoholic, according to Croatian media. The man was reportedly drinking beer at his regular bar just before the attack on Monday morning. Government shocked
President Milanovic expressed shock: "This is a shocking warning and a final call to all responsible institutions to do more to prevent violence in society, including stricter gun control," he wrote on Facebook. Prime Minister Plenkovic added: "We are shocked by the monstrous act."
The retired military policeman, responsible for the Amok runs at the nursing home, is from Croatia. International organizations have shown interest in the case due to the severe nature of the incident.
