Parents of Serbia’s School Shooter Sent to Jail After Retrial

Fri Jun 19 2026 11:55:11 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

After the 2023 Belgrade school shooting, the boy’s parents received 14‑year and nearly 3‑year sentences in a retrial that clarified their liability.

The 13‑year‑old shooter who fired 66 bullets at Belgrade’s Vladislav Ribnikar school in May 2023 has left a tragic legacy that now includes jail time for his parents. In a retrial held last January, the father, Vladimir Kecmanović, was convicted of neglect and failed gun safety, earning a 14‑year 6‑month prison sentence, while his wife, Miljana, was sentenced to almost three years for child neglect. The case highlights how Serbia’s courts were forced to revisit earlier verdicts after the appellate court found contradictions in the original findings. Both the prosecution and defence have appealed the new sentences, indicating the legal battle is far from over.

The parents of the boy who fired 66 bullets at Belgrade’s Vladislav Ribnikar elementary school on 3 May 2023 have been sentenced in a court retrial that finalised their legal fate.

At the time of the shooting, the 13‑year‑old had taken two handguns from his father’s safe, brought them to school, and opened fire in a hall and classroom, killing 10 people – seven girls, a boy and a security guard – and wounding more.

The boy was already in a psychiatric facility because he was below the age of criminal responsibility. His parents, however, faced charges of neglect and abuse, with Vladimir also accused of endangering public safety by failing to store firearms securely.

In November 2025, the appellate court called for a retrial, citing unclear and contradictory earlier verdicts. The father remained in custody, while the mother had been released pending the new trial.

The retrial concluded last March: Vladimir Kecmanović received a 14‑year‑6‑month jail term, and Miljana Kecmanović was sentenced to two years and 11 months for child neglect. Both sides have filed appeals against the sentences, saying the charges were not proven. The case continues to be watched as a stopping‑point for Serbian gun‑law reform discussions.

The incident was a once‑in‑a‑lifetime tragedy for Serbia – a country where mass gun attacks were rare, and school shootings unheard of. It also spurred protests, a gun amnesty, and tougher regulations on firearm possession.

For more details, the court’s judge explained that the 66 bullets were fired over a span of two minutes and one second during the shooting, most of them striking victims.