Parents of Serbia's teenage school shooter given jail terms in retrial

The parents of the 13-year-old boy who carried out a mass shooting at Vladislav Ribnikar school in Belgrade in May 2023 have been given jail sentences in a retrial. The father, Rade Ratko, received a 12-month prison sentence, while the mother, Miljana Kecmanović, was sentenced to 11 months. The court found them guilty of "endangering public safety" by failing to properly store the firearms used in the attack. The boy, who was not named due to his age, killed eight students and a school security guard. He also injured six other students and a teacher. The prosecution had sought longer sentences, arguing that the parents' negligence directly contributed to the tragedy. The defense had argued for leniency, citing the parents' remorse and the psychological toll the event has taken on them. This retrial follows an earlier ruling where the parents were acquitted, a decision that had sparked widespread public outcry in Serbia. The initial trial also saw the boy himself sentenced to a special juvenile facility, where he remains. The court's decision in the retrial aims to address the public's demand for accountability from the parents of the perpetrator.