Zagreb school killer given 50-year sentence

Nearly one year after the deadly knife attack at Prečko Elementary School in Zagreb, the Zagreb County Court has issued a non-final verdict sentencing the 20-year-old attacker to 50 years in prison. 

The former student, identified only by the initials L.M., was found guilty of the aggravated murder of a child, four counts of attempted aggravated murder, and multiple violations of children’s rights.

Court spokesman Krešimir Devčić said a team of psychiatric experts determined that the defendant was mentally competent at the time of the attack and fully criminally responsible for his actions.

Representatives of the school community reacted with mixed emotions following the verdict. Marko Sikirica, a member of the Parents’ Council at Prečko Elementary School, thanked the court while also pointing to broader systemic failures.

“I would like to thank the judge for her words when delivering the verdict,” Sikirica said. “Unfortunately, we live in a divided society, and we are disappointed that the system-which should have worked with us to protect our children-failed them in the end.”

Another parent, Hans Reiniger, expressed gratitude for the support shown to the families and students affected by the attack.

“We are deeply thankful for the support and for the way this process was conducted,” Reiniger said. “We are proud of the children for standing strong through an extremely difficult situation they are still dealing with. They are resilient, and we are grateful that this chapter has come to an end.”

Krešimir Škarica, a lawyer representing the victims’ families, said the case once again exposed serious shortcomings within the system.

“These proceedings have highlighted anomalies in a system that failed to recognize and prevent a concrete danger that existed even before the attack,” Škarica said. “There are no winners here-only victims, from the perpetrator’s family to the families of the children, especially the family of the child who was killed.”

Following Tuesday’s verdict, Education Minister Radovan Fuchs welcomed the ruling, calling it fair and lawful. He said the attack prompted the immediate introduction of new safety standards in schools nationwide.

“We had to change safety protocols once it became clear that such an incident could happen within our education system,” Fuchs said. “Schools were assessed based on risk factors in cooperation with local communities and the Ministry of the Interior, and security staff were deployed accordingly.”

The attack occurred on 20 December last year, when L.M. entered Prečko Elementary School and stabbed a teacher and several students. One child was killed, while the teacher and three other children suffered serious injuries. The attacker later attempted suicide at a nearby health center.

The parents of the child who was killed were not present at the verdict, which was closed to the public.