Smederevo: Teen Detained After Bus Knife Attack

A juvenile judge at the Higher Court in Smederevo today ordered pretrial detention of up to 30 days for a 17 year old suspected of attempted murder. The Ministry of Interior (MUP) said the minor was arrested after stabbing an 18 year old on a bus the previous day.

The attack happened on September 14, around 6:30 PM, on an intercity bus on the Smederevo to Velika Plana line. According to Informer, the bus was near the second gate of the Smederevo Steel Mill at the time.

The clash followed a verbal argument between the two young men that escalated into a physical fight. According to MUP, the 17 year old stabbed the year older man three times, in the neck and arm. Informer, citing a source close to the investigation, reports that the suspect is from the Velika Plana area, while the injured man is from Smederevo.

The driver stopped the bus and called an ambulance. The suspect fled in the meantime and, according to MUP, threw the knife away by the roadside. Telegraf reports the same version, that the weapon was discarded along the road during the escape.

A swift police response led to the minor being located and arrested. Informer says this happened several kilometers from the scene of the attack. Searching the area, police also found the knife believed to have been used in the crime.

The injured young man was first treated at the Smederevo Health Center, then transferred to the Banjica Institute for Orthopedics in Belgrade. Sources differ on the severity of his injuries. MUP says he sustained serious bodily injuries, while Informer, citing initial information, writes that his life is not in danger.

The case is being handled by the Higher Public Prosecutor’s Office in Smederevo, which has jurisdiction given the suspect’s age. He is suspected of attempted murder, and detention was ordered at the prosecutor’s request.