Croatia: Several dead in nursing home attack
July 22, 2024
A gunman has shot dead five people in a nursing home in the Croatian town of Daruvar, some 130 kilometers (80 miles) east of the capital, Zagreb, Croatian media and officials reported on Monday.
The Index news portal said five people died immediately, while others were wounded and still receiving medical assistance. The suspect fled the scene, but the police soon caught him in a cafe near the facility, the report said.
Police officials said in a statement that they were carrying out an investigation, but gave no details.
Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic wrote on X, formerly Twitter, that "We are appalled with the killing of five people in the Daruvar nursing home."
Rare occurrence
The Croatian newspaper Jutarnji list and the N1 regional television station said the alleged shooter was a war veteran who killed his mother along with other residents and staff,
The country fought a war of independence during the breakup of Yugoslavia from 1991 to 1995.
Shootings in the Balkan country are, however, rare.
Daruvar, which has some 7,000 permanent residents, has long been a popular spa destination thanks to thermal springs in the area.
tj/rm (AP, Reuters)