UPDATE - Serbia declares 3 days of mourning after at least 9 die in school shooting

UPDATES WITH REMARKS FROM PRESIDENT, MORE DEVELOPMENTS

By Talha Ozturk

BELGRADE, Serbia (AA) – Serbia is declaring three days of mourning after a 14-year-old reportedly killed at least nine people in a school shooting in the capital.

Speaking alongside the health and interior ministers, Education Minister Branko Ruzic said that the country will observe three days of mourning on May 5-7 and that classes will begin on Thursday with a minute of silence.

"No one can return the children to their parents. There was a security ring, video surveillance was also functioning, and the school policeman was also present. Thank the health workers, we ask God to help everyone," said Ruzic.

Classes are canceled for Wednesday and a team of psychologists was called in to help students, teachers, and parents, he said.

"We had a meaningful and emotional conversation with President (Aleksandar) Vucic, Prime Minister (Ana) Brnabic, and today as a government, we will come out with an even clearer picture,” he said

He added that they want to “allow the families of the deceased to send their loved ones off in peace” and urged against trying to use the tragedy as political fodder.

Belgrade police chief Veselin Milic said that the suspect, identified as K.K., had planned everything for months and that he had a list, and that he had chosen priority targets.

“He chose the history classroom because it was near the entrance to the school and his department had the first lesson, and he took the gun and weapons from his father's apartment, “ said Milic.

Milic said that K.K. also had four Molotov cocktails in his bag.

According to Milic, upon arriving at the school, K.K immediately took out a gun out his bag and shot the 41-year-old security guard, then turned and killed two girls.

He continued down the corridor towards the history classroom, changing his magazine along the way, and shot at a teacher and other students, the police chief continued.

K.K then left the classroom, went to the schoolyard, threw away the magazine from his gun, and called the police.

According to the Belgrade Prosecutor's Office, K.K. bears no criminal responsibility.

Serbian Interior Minister Bratislav Gasic told a press conference that the shooter’s father has been arrested.

According to the Serbian Penal Code, K.K., a juvenile with no criminal responsibility, will be under surveillance for two days on suspicion of endangering security, the Prosecutor's Office said.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic described the tragedy as one of the most difficult days in the country's modern history.

Vucic said K.K. planned the attack and waited for the day.

"According to the scheme that the boy drew, you can see that he played some kind of game in which the player has more lives. You can see that he has no remorse, you can see that he does not understand what he did and that he is satisfied because he has become a hero for some on social networks," he said.

According to him, 57 shell casings and six bullets were found at the scene.

He added that K.K. never threatened to throw bombs, but had planned to throw Molotov cocktails to keep others from entering the school until he "does his job."

At least eight students and a security guard were killed when a teenage boy allegedly opened fire at the school.

Another six students and a female teacher were injured in the incident that took place at Vladislav Ribnikar Primary School at around 8.40 a.m. local time (0640GMT), according to the Interior Ministry.

The 14-year-old suspect has been arrested, the ministry said.