Russian national Mikhail Shabunin, suspected of killing three people at a shooting range in Montenegro, has been found dead in a forest, according to the Shot Telegram channel.
Police tracked the 30-year-old from Perm to woodland near the settlement of Topla, close to the coastal town of Herceg Novi, during the night of September 1. Law enforcement officers blocked Shabunin in the forest, where he opened fire on them before officers later discovered his body.
The attack occurred on August 31 at the Ceska Zbrojovka shooting club in Danilovgrad. According to reports, Shabunin conducted trial target shooting at the range before entering the main premises and opening fire on staff members working at the facility.
Three people were killed during the shooting incident. The victims were identified as two residents of Podgorica, aged 20 and 24, alongside a 67-year-old man from Danilovgrad.
Following the killings, Shabunin escaped from the shooting club using a Seat Cordoba car that he had stolen from one of the victims. Authorities later located the vehicle abandoned on the outskirts of Podgorica.
Wanted notice and national mourning
Montenegrin police had previously issued an official wanted notice for Shabunin as the primary suspect in the triple murder. In response to the tragedy, authorities declared September 1 and September 2 as national days of mourning across Montenegro.
Local officials in Danilovgrad also announced that the start of the school year in the municipality would be postponed until September 3 as the community responded to the deaths.
Range visits and cross-border travel
Local residents stated that Shabunin was a regular visitor to the shooting range in Danilovgrad. Information regarding his travel history showed that he had originally arrived in Montenegro by bus and frequently made trips into neighboring Bosnia and Herzegovina.
During a five-day period in early July, Shabunin crossed the border into Bosnia and Herzegovina eight times. His last recorded entry into Montenegrin territory occurred on July 12.
Regional background and context
Perm, the suspect's city of origin, is a large industrial center in central Russia situated near the Ural Mountains. Montenegro, where the shooting took place, is a Balkan nation bordering the Adriatic Sea. Its capital, Podgorica, lies roughly 20 kilometers south of Danilovgrad, a municipality situated along the Zeta River valley.
Herceg Novi is a coastal town located at the entrance to the Bay of Kotor in western Montenegro, close to the border with Bosnia and Herzegovina. Topla is a suburban settlement situated adjacent to Herceg Novi. The shooting range named Ceska Zbrojovka carries the brand of the prominent Czech firearms manufacturer.
