A recent school shooting in Serbia led to the death nine people.
Police said a 13-year-old boy who shot and killed eight fellow students and a security guard at a primary school in Serbia May 3 had been planning the attack for weeks and had a "kill list," according to a May 4 BBC News report. The boy's father and mother have also been arrested.
"Heartbreaking news about today's shooting in Belgrade. Our thoughts are with the people of Serbia," U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a May 3 Twitter post. "We join others around the world in sending our deepest condolences to the families and loved ones of the innocent victims of today's senseless violence."
Seven of the victims were girls, but the motive for the attack is still unclear, BBC News reported. Another six pupils and a teacher were injured in the shooting. The suspect used his father's guns, both of which had legal permits, and is said to have gone to a shooting range more than once with his father before the killings.
Though the motive behind the shooting is still unknown, authorities have launched an investigation into the incident. According to AP News, the shooting has sparked a debate in Serbia about gun laws and school safety. The country has relatively strict gun laws, but some have called for even stricter regulations in the wake of the shooting.
CNN reported the assailant had a 9mm pistol, a small-caliber pistol and four Molotov cocktails in a bag. However, the suspect, who is younger than 14 years of age, will not face criminal charges. Meanwhile, the boy's father has been taken into custody for up to 48 hours for allegations of committing serious offenses against general security.
The shooting in Belgrade is the deadliest school shooting in Serbia's history, CNN reported. The incident has shocked the nation and prompted calls for action to prevent future tragedies.
