A gunman killed his elderly mother and five other people when he opened fire at a care home in Croatia.
The unnamed man, who also wounded six others at the facility in Daruvar, fled the scene but was arrested when police caught up with him at a nearby cafe.
The victims were five residents of the care home, mostly in their nineties, and one employee, according to Nikola Milina, Croatia’s police chief.
Officials said the attacker’s mother had been a resident at the home for the past decade but it was too early to establish a motive for Monday’s attack.
Andrej Plenković, the prime minister of Croatia, said the country was “shocked” at the “monstrous act”.
“We need to see how this could have happened,” he added.
The suspect is a retired military policeman who fought in the 1991-1995 war in Croatia. He was found to be in possession of an unregistered firearm when he was arrested, local media reported.
Such weapons are common in Croatia after the conflict which followed the break-up of Yugoslavia in the 1990s.
Zoran Milanovic, Croatia’s president, called for more rigorous gun laws after the “savage, unprecedented crime”.
“It is a frightening warning and a last call to all competent institutions to do more to prevent violence in society, including even more rigorous control of gun ownership,” he added.
The private care home had about 20 residents and a good reputation locally.
“We hid under the bed, the boss escaped through the window,” one employee told the HRT public broadcaster about the moment the shooter opened fire.
Relatives of the residents gathered outside the care home to inquire about their loved ones.
“We have my mum here, she is 90,” Nina Samot told Nova TV. “We are waiting, we are all in shock. The whole town is in shock.”
Daruvar resident Zlatko Sutuga said: “His mum was inside, he allegedly came to kill her.”
Damir Lnenicek, the mayor of Daruvar, said: “What is the cause, the trigger, it is difficult to say, that will be determined by the investigation.”
Police had come into contact with the suspect before, most recently in connection with a public order offence in June.
Daruvar is a spa town in the municipality of Slavonia, 80 miles east of Zagreb, with a population of 8,500.
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