Father of Mladenovac shooter arrested

BELGRADE - The father of the 21-year-old man suspected of last week's mass shooting in villages in the vicinity of Mladenovac and Smederevo has been arrested, a source at the Interior Ministry confirmed to Tanjug on Wednesday.

The source said Radisa Blazic had been placed in 48-hour detention.

Uros Blazic is suspected of killing eight people and wounding 13 others in a shooting spree in the night between May 4 and 5.

At the proposal of the Smederevo public prosecutor's office, he has been placed in 30-day custody following a hearing.

During a search of buildings used by Radisa Blazic, hundreds of bullets of various calibres, gunpowder for ammunition, a pistol and a revolver resembling firearms, a hand-made triggerable device as well as several optical sights and various other firearm parts have been found, the prosecutor's office said in a statement.

The man, aged 54, was arrested on Tuesday to determine the origin of the weapons used by his son in the shooting.

He has been charged with the criminal offences of illicit manufacture, possession, carrying and distribution of weapons and explosive matters.

His son has been charged with the criminal offences of aggravated murder, illicit manufacture, possession, carrying and distribution of weapons and explosive matters, kidnapping and unauthorised use of a vehicle belonging to another person.