BELGRADE, Serbia — On Thursday, a Serbian court delivered a 20-year prison sentence to a young man for the devastating shooting that resulted in the deaths of nine individuals and injuries to twelve more. The incident is one of two mass shootings that occurred in rapid succession last year, deeply affecting the nation.

Uros Blazic, 21, armed himself with an automatic rifle on May 4, 2023, and unleashed a barrage of gunfire across various sites in two villages just outside Belgrade. He randomly targeted groups of young people enjoying a spring evening. The court ruled that Blazic was fully aware of both the nature of his actions and their illegality, describing his conduct as “relentlessly violent,” which directly led to the casualties.

This tragic event came on the heels of an earlier school shooting, where a teenager utilized his father’s firearm to kill nine students and a security guard at a central Belgrade elementary school. This marked the first school shooting in Serbia’s history. The teenager involved in that horrific incident is currently undergoing treatment in a specialized mental health facility, as he was found to be below the criminal age of responsibility. His parents are facing legal proceedings in connection with the case.

These incidents have left the nation, accustomed to periods of war and turmoil, reeling, as mass shootings had been a rarity in the country. In response to the tragedies, widespread protests erupted, calling for stricter regulations on illegal firearms ownership.

Blazic was apprehended in central Serbia just hours after the shootings took place in the communities of Dubona and Malo Orasje, located south of the capital. Under Serbian law, he received the maximum sentence available for his age; he was 20 at the time of the offense.

In addition to Blazic, his father, Radisa Blazic, has also faced legal consequences for his role in the crime, having been convicted for the illegal possession of the firearms involved and receiving a 20-year sentence as well.

During the legal proceedings, Uros Blazic expressed his inability to understand what had driven him to commit such an atrocity. He acknowledged feelings of being victimized, but firmly stated that nothing could excuse his actions. “I committed hideous acts and I deserve the toughest punishment,” he admitted in court.

Reports from Serbian media indicate that Blazic had a prior criminal record and exhibited violent tendencies before the rampage. Family members of the victims attended the court proceedings, visibly distraught as the verdict was announced. Many wore t-shirts bearing the images of those lost, reflecting the profound impact of the events on the community.