By Bond Robertson 
The man who shot and killed six people is described as a war veteran.
Short version
- Six people were killed when a man opened fire at a nursing home in Daruvar, Croatia.
- The perpetrator, a 51-year-old retired police officer, is described as a “war veteran”.
- The motive remains unknown.
- Four people were seriously injured, and an investigation has been opened.
Six people were killed on Monday after a man entered a nursing home for the elderly and disabled in the Croatian town of Daruvar and began shooting.
“We are shocked,” Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic said, according to Reuters news agency.
The perpetrator's mother, who had lived in the house for 10 years, was among the dead. The other victim was an employee of the nursing home, according to the Croatian. Index.hr.
Find more weapons
Reuters quoted Croatian media as saying that the shooter initially fled the scene before being arrested later in a cafe. Several unregistered weapons were reportedly found there.
There were 20 people living in the nursing home. In addition to the dead, four people were seriously injured.
Five people died in the nursing home, while a sixth later died in hospital from his injuries.
According to police, the motive behind the incident is unknown.
retired police officer
Local media reported that the perpetrator was a 51-year-old retired military policeman who should have been previously honored for his efforts.
Reuters describes him as a “veteran”. However, the perpetrator must have been known to police from some previous incidents.
Index.hr wrote that the police are now investigating the scene of the incident.
The population of Daruvar is about 8,500. After the incident, Croatian President Zoran Milanovic expressed his condolences to the families of the victims.
“This is a scary warning and a call for all relevant institutions to do more to prevent violence in society, including imposing stricter restrictions on weapons,” Milanovic wrote on Facebook.
He appreciates the efforts made and encourages the police and the Public Prosecution to conduct a comprehensive investigation to determine the circumstances of the incident.