The chilling details of a mass shooting at a school in the Serbian capital, Belgrade, last year resurfaced as a 14-year-old boy, identified only as KK, gave evidence at his parents’ trial behind closed doors. The boy, who has been held in a psychiatric institution since the May 2023 attack, cannot be put on trial due to his age.
His parents are on trial, accused of a “serious act against general safety” for failing to secure the weapons and ammunition properly. They deny the charges. KK, who had not left the psychiatric hospital since the attack, was brought to the court by a special escort for the first time.
During the hearing, KK was questioned as a witness by the judge, the prosecutor, defense lawyers, and even the mother of a murdered child. Parents of the victims attended the hearing in hopes of understanding the motive behind the tragic incident at Vladislav Ribnikar primary school, where KK took a handgun and opened fire on other children, killing nine children and a security guard.
The tragedy shook Serbia to its core, and the country faced another wave of grief when just 48 hours later, eight more people were shot dead by a 21-year-old man in a village outside the capital.
Despite public prosecutors warning the media not to leak details of the hearing, many parents left the courtroom in tears. Ognen Bozovic, a lawyer representing the families of the victims, described it as one of the most harrowing trials he has witnessed in his career. He believes that KK’s testimony will help bring about convictions.
KK’s father, Vladimir Kecmanovic, remains in custody, accused of teaching the boy how to shoot and failing to secure the weapons at home. His mother is currently out on bail. The family’s lawyer expressed that KK had lived a normal life before the shooting, and no court process could fully explain what led to the tragic attack.
