Petrović arrested for the murder of Milačić

Podgorica resident Nikola Petrović (23) was arrested today in Sutomore on suspicion of murdering fellow citizen Ivan Milačić on July 20th.

This was officially confirmed in a statement by the acting director of the Police Directorate, Lazar Šćepanović, stating that in cooperation and coordination with the Higher State Prosecutor's Office in Podgorica, after taking urgent investigative and comprehensive police and prosecutorial measures and actions, they have shed light on the criminal offense of aggravated murder...

Milačić was killed on Saturday evening, ten minutes before midnight, while he was sitting with his wife and friends in the garden of the "Taormina" cafe in Podgorica.

To arrest the suspect, the police organized a chase this afternoon on the main road from Pržno to Sutomore.

Before that, the pursuit began from Ulcinj, after which all available units were called in to get involved.

During the chase, as Vijesti learned, the Adriatic Highway was blocked, as well as some side roads in that part of the coast.

As part of the arrest operation, the police engaged the entire police force in the Regional Center South, and members of the Special Police Unit, which is located in Budva during the summer, were also involved in the pursuit.

Acting Director of the Police Directorate (PD), Lazar Šćepanović, stated in a statement that "by undertaking numerous extensive operational, tactical, technical, forensic and evidentiary measures and actions in coordination with the Higher State Prosecutor's Office, police officers identified the perpetrator of this serious criminal offense in a short period of time, in less than 24 hours, and secured material evidence, and it is a person named NP (23) from Podgorica."

"It is reasonably suspected that on July 20, in the garden of the 'Taormina' catering facility, located in Podgorica, on Svetozara Markovića Street, NP fired several projectiles at IM using a firearm - a pistol, during which the named person was fatally injured, and SR, who was in the company of the murdered person, sustained bodily injuries, while as previously reported to the public, KR also sustained minor bodily injuries caused by the secondary fragmentary effect of the projectile, and was released from the medical institution without detention. By undertaking investigative measures and actions in intensive cooperation and coordination with the Higher State Prosecutor's Office in Podgorica, material evidence was provided that unequivocally and reasonably indicates the suspicion that NP committed the criminal offense of aggravated murder and the criminal offense of illegal carrying and possession of weapons and explosive substances," Šćepanović pointed out.

He added that "after collecting the necessary evidence and unequivocally identifying the person suspected of committing this criminal offense, officers from several organizational units of the Police Directorate began preparing and implementing planned activities aimed at locating and detaining him, which also required measures of inter-sectoral and inter-agency cooperation."

"Thoroughly prepared activities, based on very good intelligence and operational data, resulted in the final police action, which, with strong operational support from officers of the Special Police Unit, the Regional Security Center Center and the Regional Security Center South in the Sutmore area, carried out an action of direct deprivation of liberty of the person NP. The suspect NP will be brought to the Higher State Prosecutor in Podgorica for further jurisdiction, with a criminal report, within the legal deadline," said Šćepanović, the statement reads.

The Police Department said that regarding the activities undertaken, Šćepanović thanked the officers of the Regional Security Center Center, the Regional Security Center South, the Crime Fighting Sector, the Danilovgrad Forensic Center, and the elite special units and the National Security Agency for their dedication, persistence, and perseverance in solving this serious crime, noting that together, in a complex security situation, we gave a unique response and sent a clear message to the community.

"At the same time, he called on other authorities involved in the fight against serious and organized crime to act in a unified and synergistic manner, in order to use their joint forces and competencies to contribute to the realization of key goals and improve the protection of the personal and property security of citizens and the freedoms and rights established by the Constitution," the UP said.

The UP also stated that Šćepanović concluded by saying that they will resolutely and unwaveringly continue the initiated processes of suppressing, exposing and dismantling the activities of high-risk organized crime groups, with continuous preventive, proactive and repressive activities aimed at raising the level of internal and national security.

"I also inform the public that all murders this year have been solved, and the Police Directorate continues intensive activities to locate and arrest their perpetrators," said Šćepanović.