The killings on May 3, 2023, deeply shocked the Balkan nation, where mass shootings have been rare despite high levels of gun ownership.

The trial was conducted solely against the teenager’s parents, Vladimir and Miljana Kecmanovic, as their son cannot be criminally prosecuted due to his age.

Vladimir Kecmanovic was sentenced to 14 years and six months while Miljana Kecmanovic was jailed for three years, the Belgrade Higher Court said in a statement.

“The accused, Vladimir Kecmanovic, was found guilty of committing the criminal offences of a grave offence against public safety and neglect and abuse of a minor. The accused, Miljana Kecmanovic, was found guilty of neglect and abuse of a minor,” the court said.

The mother, however, was acquitted on charges of the unauthorised production, possession, carrying or trafficking of weapons.

The court also sentenced Nemanja Marinkovic, the instructor at the shooting range where, according to the indictment, Vladimir Kecmanovic, took his son for target practice, to one year and three months in prison.

Both the prosecution and the defence have announced that they will exercise their right to appeal.

Chief Public Prosecutor Nenad Stefanovic announced an appeal for harsher sentences for the father and the shooting instructor, as well as against the dismissal of part of the indictment against the mother.

Lawyers for the parents and the shooting instructor also said they would appeal.

Ognjen Bozovic, who legally represents the families of the murdered children, said that, from a legal standpoint, they are satisfied with the verdict, but there was no punishment that can bring justice or proper satisfaction to the families, as no one has been convicted for the massacre.

Days of Remembrance

Visibly shaken family members of the murdered children were present at the sentencing, and a group of students left flowers in front of the courthouse and stood in silence for 10 minutes to honour the victims.