Montenegro manhunt ends with Russian triple-murder suspect dead, police say

Published on 01/09/2026 - 11:11 GMT+2

A police search for an armed Russian man in Montenegro ended early on Tuesday when the suspect, wanted for killing three people, killed himself after exchanging fire with police, authorities said.

According to the interior ministry, the suspect, a 30-year-old Russian, shot dead three employees of a shooting range in Danilovgrad, close to the capital Podgorica.

After an hours-long manhunt involving special units and a helicopter, the suspect was located in woods above the popular coastal tourist town of Herceg Novi, more than 120 kilometres from the crime scene.

"After the suspect was surrounded and found himself with no way out, he opened fire on police officers before killing himself with a firearm," police said in a statement.

The victims were two men from Podgorica, aged 20 and 24, and a 67-year-old man from Danilovgrad. The suspect fled the scene in a vehicle belonging to one of the victims.

No further details of the killings in Danilovgrad were released.

"Police are continuing their investigation with the Higher State Prosecutor’s Office in Podgorica to establish all the circumstances of the incident, including its cause and motive," police said.

Montenegrin Prime Minister Milojko Spajić expressed condolences to the victims’ families and announced two days of national mourning from Tuesday.