(The Associated Press): A shooting spree in Cetinje, a city in western Montenegro, on Wednesday killed two children and at least ten others. Four more persons suffered serious injuries. The violence that followed a pub altercation prompted a large-scale police operation to apprehend the offender, who managed to get away.

The shooter was identified by authorities as 45-year-old Aco Martinovic. The bar owner, the owner's kids, and members of his own family were among Martinovic's victims, according to Interior Minister Danilo Saranovic. Police have described him as extremely dangerous, and efforts are still underway to find and apprehend him.

Special police were sent to Cetinje, which is around 30 kilometers (18 miles) from Podgorica, the capital of Montenegro, to find Martinovic. To maintain public safety, officers patrolled the streets extensively and closed all roads leading into and out of the city. Citing the suspect's unpredictable and hazardous temperament, Saranovic asked locals to stay indoors.

“It was a violent outburst of anger that went past even the violence witnessed by organized crime gangs,” Saranovic said, underscoring the seriousness of the crime. Martinovic emphasized the value of being watchful while police worked to bring him to justice.

Martinovic had spent the entire day at the bar prior to a fight starting, according to Police Commissioner Lazar Scepanovic, who described the events in detail. Around 5:30 p.m., Martinovic went back to his house to get a gun and started attacking, killing four patrons at the bar. After going on the rampage three more times, he fled in a car, which the police eventually found.

The defendant, who had a criminal history that included a 2005 suspended sentence for violent conduct and an ongoing appeal against a conviction for illegal weapon possession, was previously known for acting erratically and violently. According to media sources, his behavior was in line with his history of instability.

The prevalence of gun ownership in Montenegro has sparked worries in the wake of the incident. The 620,000-person nation has previously seen such calamities. Another assailant killed ten people in Cetinje in August 2022, including two children, before a bystander shot and killed him.

The loss of innocent life amid a time for celebration was lamented by President Jakov Milatovic, who expressed shock and sorrow over the incident. "We are grieving this terrible loss instead of celebrating the holidays," he posted on social media site X.

While at the hospital treating the injured, Prime Minister Milojko Spajic declared a three-day national mourning period. In addition to denouncing the violence, he confirmed that every police resource was focused on apprehending the perpetrator.

The tragedy has prompted analogies to past mass violence episodes in the area, and residents of Cetinje and the larger Montenegrin community are struggling with it. Leaders have urged solidarity and fortitude in this trying period.

The incident displays persistent issues with public safety and gun control in Montenegro, leading to demands for a review of laws to stop such incidents in the future. The goal of authorities is still to capture Martinovic and bring the victims and their families justice.