DARUVAR, CROATIA – A Croatian town was left in a state of shock and grief after a tranquil morning at a local nursing home turned into a horrifying scene of crime. On Monday, an armed man found his way into the nursing home in the town of Daruvar, subsequently firing at the residents and staff. Croatian officials declared that the assault resulted in the death of six people, including the gunman’s mother, who lived in the facility.
According to National Police Chief Nikola Milina, the victims, primarily in their 80s and 90s, comprised of five residents and one staff member. The brutal attack also left six other people wounded, half of whom are critically injured. The suspect fled the scene but was soon apprehended by police at a nearby café.
The investigation is ongoing to assess the motive behind the heinous act. Regional television network N1 disclosed that the gunman is a former policeman, born in 1973, and a war veteran decorated for his service during the 1991-95 war in Croatia. The suspect, known for instigating several incidents in the past, was reportedly characterized by aggression and alcoholism.
In the aftermath of the horrific incident, Croatian President Zoran Milanovic called it a “savage, unprecedented crime,” urging for more stringent regulations for gun ownership and efforts to curb violence.
The authorities confirmed that the firearm used by the suspect was unregistered. Notably, Croatia has a prevalent culture of private gun ownership, owing to the violent disintegration of Yugoslavia in the 1990s, subject to mental health checks.