The parents of the teenage boy who murdered nine children and a school guard in a 2023 Belgrade school shooting have been handed prison sentences following a retrial.
Vladimir Kecmanović, the father, received 14 years and six months for his role in training his son to use firearms and failing to properly secure them, while the mother, Miljana Kecmanović, was sentenced to two years and 11 months for neglect.
The shooter, who was only 13 at the time of the attack at Vladislav Ribnikar school, utilized his father's handguns to fire 66 rounds, killing ten and wounding six others. Because the shooter was under the age of criminal responsibility, he remains in a psychiatric facility, leaving the legal system to address the culpability of his parents.
The court's decision follows a long and difficult legal battle for the victims' families, who have sought accountability for the catastrophic negligence that allowed such a tragedy to occur.
While the defense continues to argue against the charges, the court's ruling underscores a necessary commitment to holding parents responsible for the actions of their children when they facilitate or ignore dangerous behavior. This case stands as a grim reminder of the consequences of failing to maintain control and safety within the home.
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