A Serbian police officer guarding the Israeli Embassy in Belgrade was seriously wounded after being shot in the neck with a crossbow by a terror suspect.
The Attack
The attack occurred around 1100 local time when the suspect, who remains unnamed, repeatedly approached the officer at a guard house, inquiring about a nearby museum.
After the officer informed the suspect that there were no museums nearby, the suspect opened the door to the guard house and shot the officer with a crossbow. Despite being hit, the officer returned fire, mortally wounding the attacker, who died at the scene.
The officer is now in stable condition after undergoing emergency surgery to remove the bolt.
#Serbia / #Israel ????: An attacker, who attacked a police officer guarding the Israeli embassy in #Belgrade, was shot and killed by the Security Forces.
The perpetrator was seemingly armed with a PSE Viper SS pistol handheld crossbow and a knife. pic.twitter.com/H6wfSVuJ5i
— War Noir (@war_noir) June 29, 2024
The Investigation
Interior Minister Ivica Dacic spoke to reporters about the incident, explaining that the Special Prosecutor’s Office has taken over the investigation.
Dacic emphasized that, although the suspect’s identity is unconfirmed, it is “undoubted that it is a terrorist act.”
“We have arrested some more people preventively who were near the police facilities,” Dacic stated, adding that there are suspicions and indications that the individuals arrested are known to security services and may be part of the Wahabi movement.
Serbian Prime Minister Milos Vucevic, however, provided a different perspective, describing the attack as “a crime of an individual” and “an act of insanity, which cannot be attributed to any religion or nation,” as quoted by Beta news agency.
The investigation continues as Serbian authorities seek to uncover more details about the suspect and any possible connections to larger terrorist networks.