A serious incident unfolded on a Wednesday morning, May 3, in central Belgrade. Local media outlets and the Evening News reported that a 14-year-old student opened fire inside Vladislav Rybnikar School, located in the Vračar district, around 08:00 local time. Police swiftly responded and detained a seventh-grade pupil who is believed to have fired multiple shots at students and a security guard using his father’s pistol. Authorities stressed that the scene remained under investigation as they worked to secure the area and understand the sequence of events surrounding the tragedy.
Initial reporting varied on the total number of victims. Some outlets confirmed at least nine fatalities, including a guard and eight students, while others cited different tallies and noted several children in critical condition. One critically injured student underwent surgery and was reported as stabilized. Other reports indicated hospitalizations and that some planned operations across treating clinics had been postponed in the wake of the incident.
Early indications suggested the teenager might have been under the influence of drugs at the time of the attack. Official statements from the Serbian Ministry of Internal Affairs confirmed that the assailant brought his father’s pistol to the school. The police deployed all available patrols and responded rapidly, detaining the seventh-grader as shots were fired at students and school security personnel. The investigation remained active as authorities sought to establish the full sequence of events and the motive behind the attack.
Among those connected to the school are the children of public figures, including a singer and a TV presenter, who study at Vladislav Rybnikar. A close friend of the victim and a pupil at the school described the moment as shocking and deeply upsetting, underscoring the sudden and horrifying nature of the event. Some outlets identified the student who opened fire as Kosta K., while others speculated about a possible familial connection to a local radiologist named Vladimir Ketsmanovich, though investigators were still verifying such details.
Inquiries about the shooter’s grade point average and behavioral notes appeared in various reports, with speculation that an unusually low grade could have influenced the incident. Other accounts suggested the attacker arrived with two pistols and a Molotov cocktail, and that a backpack found in one classroom contained three Molotov cocktails. Authorities stated that multiple weapons were involved and that the investigation would continue to determine the threat level posed to students and staff. The ongoing inquiry aims to clarify the sequence of events, the preparations made by the attacker, and the broader context of what occurred inside the school.
Witnesses who attended an after-school birthday party the day before reported that the assailant appeared normal and showed no obvious signs of distress. Police later confirmed that the young man who began shooting had arrived with two firearms and a Molotov device, prompting a rapid response from law enforcement and emergency medical services. The investigation remains active as authorities work to identify all affected individuals and compile a complete account of what transpired inside the school.