On the morning of Monday, July 22, 2024, a shooter targeted a nursing home in Daruvar, Croatia, resulting in six deaths, one of whom was the shooter’s mother. The incident has raised serious concerns about gun control policies and the mental health of war veterans while leaving the community in a state of grief.
National Police Chief, Nikola Milina, reported that the assault started around 10 a.m. Of the six fatalities, one succumbed to injuries later in the day at a hospital, while five others died at the scene. The victims were mostly residents of the nursing home, aged in their 80s and 90s, as well as one staff member. Six additional people were injured, four of whom were in critical condition.
The shooter, a 51-year-old ex-police officer and decorated war veteran, identified as Krešimir Pahoki from Donji Daruvar, was detained in a nearby cafe shortly after the attack. He had a record of past troubling behavior known to law enforcement. The authorities are investigating the motive, with preliminary reports suggesting that the shooter may have been distressed over financial matters, including his mother’s care expenses. Local resident, Zlatko Sutuga, described the suspect as aggressive, adding “alcohol and all that.”
The shooter, whose mother had resided at the nursing home for a decade, used an unlicensed gun for the attack. This incident has refocused attention on the problem of illegal firearms still in circulation from the violent dissolution of Yugoslavia in the 1990s. Many such weapons have remained in private residences, posing a considerable public safety threat.
A relative of one of the nursing home residents, Nina Samot, voiced her distress to the press, mentioning that her 90-year-old mother was in the facility at the time of the attack. She depicted the situation as horrifying, highlighting the shock that has gripped the small town, especially for those with relatives in the nursing home. According to Samot, everyone is in a state of shock and waiting for further information.
Zoran Milanovic, the Croatian President, expressed his shock and grief, characterizing the attack as a heinous and unprecedented crime. He called for stricter gun control measures to prevent similar future tragedies, stressing that this incident should act as a wake-up call for all relevant bodies to take more decisive action against societal violence.
Daruvar, a small, tranquil town known for its spa facilities and a population of around 8,500, is home to the nursing home, which is considered a high-quality care facility and houses approximately 20 residents. This event marks one of the deadliest in Croatia’s history since its independence in 1991. It follows a series of mass shootings in neighboring Serbia that led to a significant number of citizens surrendering 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.
