Children among 12 dead in Montenegro after gunman opens fire in rampage

Police officers and civil protection units secure a crime scene after a gunman killed several people in the village of Bajice near Cetinje - (AFP via Getty Images)

Three days of mourning have been announced across Montenegro after a gunman shot and killed 12 people, including two children, in a brutal killing spree.

Aleksandar Aco Martinovic opened fire at a restaurant in the village of Bajice on Wednesday, before travelling to several other locations where he shot more people.

It is understood that the 12 victims were known to Martinovic.

Four other people were also reportedly injured during the attacks before Martinovic turned the gun on himself, reportedly dying while being transported to hospital.

Police cordons have been set up around the streets of the town, located just 18 miles away from the capital of Podgorica, as investigators look into the deadly incident.

Milojko Spajic, the Prime Minister of Montenegro, has also led tributes following the attack and declared three days of mourning across the country.

Police investigators work at the site of a shooting in Cetinje, 36 kilometers (22 miles) west of Podogrica, Montenegro (AP)

"A terrible tragedy has struck all of us in Cetinje, in the village of Bajice," he told broadcasters following the incident.

President Jakov Milatovic also took to social media to share his condolences: "Instead of holiday joy... we have been gripped by sadness over the loss of innocent lives."

Local authorities later revealed that the gunman had a history of illegal gun possession and had been drinking heavily throughout the day, ruling out organised crime.

Reports reveal that he was known for erratic behaviour.

Police chief Lazar Scepanovic claims that following an altercation at the restaurant, Matinovic went home to get a weapon before returning to the restaurant to shoot four people.

Police crime scene tape is seen in front of a restaurant entrance in Cetinje, Montenegro, on January 2, 2025, after a gunman went on a rampage after opening fire at a village restaurant, killing 12 people including two children. (AFP via Getty Images)

Montenegro's interior minister, Danilo Saranovic, revealed that the attacker killed the owner of the bar and his children before attacking members of his own family.

The youngest victims were 10 and 13 years old.

Although mass shooting incidents are relatively rare in Montenegro, the nation has a large gun culture. The recent attack has prompted calls for more controls over illegal guns operating within the country.

Mr Spajic said that all options were on the table, including a “complete ban on the possession of weapons."

The recent attack marks the second mass shooting incident to happen in Cetinje within the last three years.