Parents of Serbia school shooter jailed after retrial over 2023 attack
The parents of a boy who carried out a deadly school shooting in Serbia have been sentenced to prison following a retrial in Belgrade.
The attack occurred in 2023 at Vladislav Ribnikar elementary school, where the 13-year-old shooter killed nine students and a school security guard. Seven girls, one boy, and the guard died at the scene, while another girl later succumbed to her injuries in hospital.
Because the perpetrator was below the age of criminal responsibility, he was placed in a psychiatric institution. However, his parents, Vladimir and Miljana Kecmanović, were prosecuted for alleged neglect and abuse of a minor. The father was also charged with serious offences related to public safety.
Following the retrial, the court sentenced the father to 14 years and six months in prison, while the mother received a term of two years and 11 months. Both the prosecution and defence have since filed appeals against the verdicts.
Lawyer Zora Dobričanin, representing some of the victims’ families, described the proceedings as a “long fight” that will continue in the appeals court.
The 3 May 2023 massacre shocked Serbia, where school shootings had previously been virtually unheard of. The boy used two handguns taken from his father’s safe, placing them in his backpack before opening fire in a school hallway and classroom.
In total, 10 people were killed and five children along with a history teacher were injured. Just two days later, a separate shooting near Belgrade left nine more people dead, triggering nationwide protests and prompting the government to introduce stricter gun laws and an amnesty programme.
The parents were first tried in 2024. During that trial, evidence from their son was presented behind closed doors. The father received a lengthy sentence for allegedly training his son to use firearms and failing to secure them properly. The mother was initially cleared of illegal weapons possession but convicted of neglect, while a shooting range instructor was found guilty of giving false testimony.
However, in November 2025, an appeals court ordered a retrial, citing unclear and contradictory reasoning in the earlier verdicts. The father remained in custody, while the mother stayed free pending the new proceedings.
The retrial began in January, with prosecutors arguing that holding the parents accountable was essential to understanding how Serbian society should respond to one of the country’s most tragic peacetime events.
During the trial, the court heard that the boy fired 66 bullets in just over two minutes, most of which struck victims, according to local reports.
Defence lawyers argued that the prosecution had failed to prove neglect and said no expert evidence had been presented to support the claims against the parents.
Source: BBC
About The Author
