In Serbia, four members of the Special Intervention Unit 92, including the commander, his deputy, and two officers, have been detained in connection with an armed incident that took place in a Belgrade restaurant in November. The prosecutor's office suspects the detainees of attempting to cover up the incident.
The Belgrade High Prosecutor's Office announced that the unit commander D. N. and his deputy J. S. were detained on charges of abuse of influence. Two other officers from the same unit, N. S. and N. K., were detained on suspicion of abuse of public office.
Restaurant Manager Also Under Investigation
The restaurant manager D. Z., where gunshots were heard, was also detained in connection with the incident. He is suspected of failing to report the crime and the perpetrator, as well as aiding the perpetrator after the crime was committed.
Another individual under investigation, S. V., is being examined on charges of endangering public safety and illegal possession and carrying of weapons. The prosecutor's office reported that S. V. is already in custody on suspicion of attempted murder in a separate case.
Authorities believe S. V. was involved in a dispute at the restaurant and fired a shot toward a person nicknamed "Runjo." The bullet did not hit the target but struck the restaurant's window.
Allegations of Attempted Cover-Up
According to the prosecutor's office, the unit commander and his deputy instructed their subordinates N. S. and N. K. not to investigate the incident. It is alleged that the crime scene investigation team was not notified, the venue was not secured, evidence was not collected, and the prosecutor's office was not informed.
Police officers were reportedly ordered to portray the incident not as an armed attack but as a verbal argument and a routine bar fight. The prosecutor's office states these instructions aimed to alter the course of the investigation.
Suspicions of Evidence Concealment
It is also claimed that the restaurant manager D. Z. did not inform the police that the armed incident occurred in front of him. The prosecutor's office stated that the manager deleted security camera footage, instructed employees to clean the scene and hide traces, and told the police that the bullet hole in the window was pre-existing.
Former Belgrade police chief Veselin Milic was detained on May 15 on suspicion of aiding a suspect in a serious murder case at another Belgrade restaurant. However, the complaint related to this charge was dropped by the prosecutor's office on Tuesday. The allegation of failing to report a crime against Milic remains.
In the same case, two police officers from Serbia's witness protection unit were also detained last week and questioned.
Media reports suggested that the person shot in the restaurant had links to a criminal organization, but this information has not been officially confirmed.
Following Milic's detention, President Aleksandar Vucic stated that police and military personnel involved in activities beyond officially authorized duties will no longer be allowed to serve in any police or armed forces units. On May 20, Vucic emphasized zero tolerance for those cooperating with drug dealers and criminals.
