Parents of Serbia's Teenage School Shooter Sentenced in Retrial

Thu Jun 18 2026 23:57:12 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Justice: The parents of the 13‑year‑old shooter receive prison terms after a retrial on the 2023 school shooting. Appeals are on the table.

Serbian courts handed jail terms to Vladimir and Miljana Kecmanović, the parents of the boy who shot dead ten people at a Belgrade elementary school in 2023. The father earned 14½ years, the mother 2 years 11 months for neglect and unsafe firearm storage. Both sides have appealed the decision, and the court’s findings are seen as a crucial step in Serbia’s response to the tragedy. The retrial followed an initial verdict that was overturned after the appeal court deemed the justification for the convictions unclear. The case underscores the broader debate over gun control and legal accountability in the country.

The courts in Belgrade have now imposed prison sentences on the parents of the 13‑year‑old boy who opened fire at Vladislav Ribnikar elementary school on 3 May 2023.

Re‑trial outcome

Vladimir Kecmanović received 14 years and six months, while his wife Miljana was given a jail term of two years and eleven months for neglect and unsafe storage of firearms that contributed to the tragedy.

Charges and initial trial

Both parents were accused of neglecting their son, who had been placed in a psychiatric facility because he was below the age of criminal responsibility. The father was also charged with an offence against public safety for allowing his son to practice with handguns from their safe.

Victims and the attack

In the 2023 assault, the boy killed seven girls, a boy and a security guard before another victim succumbed to injuries later in hospital. The gunman fired 66 shots in just over two minutes, killing ten people in total and injuring five children and a history teacher.

After‑shock and public reaction

The incident prompted mass protests, a government‑issued gun amnesty, and the introduction of stricter firearms legislation.

Appeals and court reflections

Both the defense and prosecution have appealed the jail terms, arguing that the evidence of neglect was insufficient. The court of appeal had previously ordered the retrial in November 2025, citing unclear and contradictory reasoning in the original verdict.

Legal debate

Lawyer Zora Dobričanin, representing the victims’ families, described the process as a "long fight" that will continue in the appeal court. The defense emphasized that the charges had not been proven and no expert testified on the alleged neglect.