On Monday morning, July 22, 2024, a gunman attacked a nursing home in Daruvar, Croatia, resulting in the deaths of six individuals, including the attacker’s mother. This tragedy has cast a shadow of sorrow over the community and sparked intense debates regarding gun control and the mental state of war veterans.

The national police chief, Nikola Milina, stated that the violent incident started around 10 a.m. Five of the victims lost their lives at the scene, while the sixth victim succumbed to injuries in the hospital later that day. The deceased included five elderly residents of the nursing home, primarily in their 80s and 90s, and a staff member. Six other individuals were injured, four of whom are in critical condition.

The 51-year-old suspect, Krešimir Pahoki, a former police officer and a decorated war veteran, was captured at a nearby cafe shortly after the shooting. He had a history of troubling behavior and was well-known to the local law enforcement. The authorities are currently investigating the motive behind the attack. Early reports suggest that the suspect might have been upset over financial troubles, including the cost of his mother’s care.

The shooter, whose mother had been a resident of the nursing home for a decade, used an unregistered firearm for the attack. This incident has highlighted the problem of illegal firearms, a remnant of the violent dissolution of Yugoslavia in the 1990s. Many of these weapons are still kept in private residences, posing a considerable threat to public safety.

Nina Samot, a family member of a resident at the nursing home, conveyed her shock to the press, saying that her 90-year-old mother lived at the facility. She described the incident as horrific, emphasizing the state of disbelief that had enveloped the small town, especially those with loved ones in the nursing home.

The Croatian President, Zoran Milanovic, expressed his shock and grief, characterizing the incident as a heinous and unprecedented crime. He advocated for more stringent gun control laws to deter similar future incidents, underlining the need for this event to serve as an alert for all pertinent institutions to take determined actions against societal violence.

The tranquil town of Daruvar, home to around 8,500 people and known for its spa facilities, was the site of this brutal attack. The nursing home, recognized for its excellent care, accommodated roughly 20 residents. This horrifying event is among the deadliest in the history of Croatia since its independence in 1991. It follows a string of mass shootings in neighboring Serbia, which prompted a significant number of citizens to voluntarily surrender their firearms during a government amnesty.

According to the police, Pahoki is facing 11 criminal charges, including murder and attempted murder. The charges also include femicide, which refers to the killing of women due to their gender.