At least five killed as ‘war veteran’ gunman storms nursing home and opens fire killing ‘his own mum’ in Croatia

AT least six people have been killed after a gunman opened fire at a nursing home in Croatia.

The "war veteran" stormed into the home and launched the frenzied attack in the city of Daruvar killing six people - including his own mum.

The gunman stormed into a nursing home in the city of DaruvarCredit: AFP

A police cordon has been up at the retirement homeCredit: AFP

The suspect fled the scene and was soon caught in a cafe near the facility, local media reported.

The gunman stormed the nursing home in Daruvar, 80 miles east of Zagreb and began shooting, state broadcaster HRT said.

Several others were injured in the attack.

The number of dead was later confirmed by Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic, who called for a thorough investigation by relevant officials.

"We are appalled by the murder of five people at the home for elderly in Daruvar," Plenkovic said on social media.

"We express our condolences to the families of the victims and hope for the recovery of the wounded."

A sixth person later died in hospital, local media reported.

Police said they were informed at 10:10 am local time (0810 GMT), that a man using firearms killed and wounded several people at the nursing home.

The suspect is under police supervision, according to a statement by the regional police office.

As news of the shooting spread, shock rippled through Daruvar -- a quiet town of some 7,000 -- that has long been a popular spa destination thanks to the area's thermal springs.

"It's hard for me to understand that this can happen in our town, country," Daruvar mayor Damir Lnenicek told N1 regional broadcaster.

The outlet also reported that the shooter was born in 1973, and that he was a former fighter from the 1991-95 war in Croatia.

Around 20 people lived in the nursing home at the time of the shooting, according to the mayor.

"What is the trigger? It's difficult to say, it will be determined by the investigation" Lnenicek added.

Croatia's President Zoran Milanovic also took to social media where he called the shooting "savage".

"It is a terrifying warning and a last call to all competent institutions to do more to prevent violence in society, including even more rigorous control of arms ownership," said the president.

The head of a regional emergency care facility, Nenad Mrzlecki, told local media that medical teams found four dead at the scene and four others wounded, who were immediately taken to local hospitals.
Mrzlecki did not provide information about the fifth victim.

"Our teams are still on the ground and the priority is to provide everyone with the necessary help, after that is done we will know the exact data on the number of victims," he said.

Croatian newspaper Jutarnji list described the alleged shooter as a "retired military police officer" who killed his mother along with other residents and staff.

Daruvar is a spa town in the municipality of Slavonia, with a population of 8,500.

Croatian President Zoran Milanovic said he was shocked by the savage, unprecedented crime.