A Belgrade court has sentenced the parents of a 13-year-old boy who carried out a mass shooting at his school last year to prison terms, in a case that has reignited debate across Europe over youth violence, gun control, and parental responsibility.
The boy, identified only as K.K., killed nine fellow students and a security guard at the Vladislav Ribnikar primary school in May 2023. He used his father’s registered handguns, which had been stored improperly. The court sentenced the father, Vladimir K., to 14 years and six months for reckless endangerment and illegal possession of weapons. The mother, Miljana K., received three years for failing to secure the firearms.
The case has shocked a nation unaccustomed to mass shootings. Serbia has strict gun laws, but private ownership remains common due to a history of conflict and a strong hunting culture. The tragedy prompted the government to introduce a broad crackdown on unregistered weapons, including amnesties and stricter storage requirements.
However, the trial also exposed deeper concerns. The teenage shooter had been described by classmates as withdrawn and obsessed with violent video games. He had reportedly watched tutorials on how to modify handguns into automatic weapons. Investigators found a detailed plan and a list of targets in his bedroom.
The parents’ role became central. Prosecutors argued they were aware of their son’s disturbing behaviour but failed to intervene. The father, a doctor, had legally owned the weapons but left them unlocked in a home safe. The mother, a psychologist, had noticed her son’s isolation but dismissed it as typical adolescence.
Judge Maja Kovacevic said the verdict aimed to send a signal: “Parents cannot be passive observers. They have a duty to protect society as well as their children.” The parents plan to appeal.
The case fits a broader pattern of youth violence across Europe. In Sweden, gang-related shootings have surged among teenagers. In France, knife attacks by minors have risen. In the United Kingdom, a series of stabbings involving young people has prompted calls for tougher sentencing and more youth programmes.
Experts warn that while each country’s situation differs, common threads include social media normalising violence, the availability of real weapons in the home, and a decline in mental health support. In Serbia, the shooting led to widespread protests against a culture of violence in the media and online.
The government has since banned violent video games and tightened social media controls for minors. It also introduced mandatory school drills for active shooter scenarios, a concept previously alien to the Balkans. But critics argue these measures distract from the need for better mental health resources and a deeper examination of societal alienation.
“This tragedy was not inevitable,” said Dr. Ana Djordjevic, a criminologist at the University of Belgrade. “But unless we address the everyday violence children are exposed to, we will see more of these incidents, here and across Europe.”
The sentencing closes a legal chapter but opens a wider one about the continent’s struggle with youth violence. Serbia’s case has become a cautionary tale: a country with some of the strictest gun laws, a community in denial, and a family that failed to see the signs.
