On Monday, a tragic incident occurred in the quiet town of Daruvar, Croatia, when a gunman entered a nursing home and opened fire, resulting in the deaths of six people, mostly in their 80s and 90s. The victims included the gunman’s mother, who had lived in the nursing home for 10 years. Five people died immediately, and another passed away in the hospital, while at least six others were wounded, four of them seriously.
The suspect, a former policeman who participated in the 1991-95 war in Croatia and was decorated as a war veteran, fled the scene but was later apprehended near the facility. The motive behind the attack is currently under investigation. Reports suggest that the suspect was known to police due to past incidents.
The attack has left the town of Daruvar, a spa town with a population of 8,500, in a state of shock and grief. Relatives of the residents gathered outside the nursing home, expressing concern for their loved ones. One resident, Nina Samot, stated, “We have my mom here, she is 90. This is horrific what has happened, this is such a small town. Especially when you have someone inside. … We are waiting, we are all in shock. The whole town is in shock.”
The mayor of Daruvar, Damir Lnenicek, described the nursing home as excellent, housing about 20 people. The cause of the attack is yet to be determined, with the investigation ongoing. Croatian President Zoran Milanovic expressed shock over the “savage, unprecedented crime” and called for stricter control of gun ownership in society.
It was reported that the suspect used an unregistered gun, a common occurrence in Croatia due to the presence of many weapons in private homes following the bloody breakup of Yugoslavia in the 1990s. Private gun ownership is legal in Croatia, subject to a mental health check.
