Serbian authorities are still searching for a migrant gang who started shooting in the forest near to the Hungarian border in the early hours of Saturday morning.
So far, the authorities have only managed to arrest a 26-year-old Afghan male, who is being detained on suspicion of murder and attempted murder.
In the clash between Afghan and Pakistani gangs, one person was killed and seven were injured. People living in Subotica, just south of the Hungarian border, and the surrounding area remain tense because of what happened and believe they are no longer safe, reported Hungarian state channel M1.
On Sunday, police continued to patrol the district of Subotica where the clashes took place, and the vicinity of the forest remained cordoned off to the public as crime scene investigators scanned the area.
The altercation has upset many of the locals who began a peaceful demonstration on Saturday evening, requesting that authorities take the immigrants who gather in the area to a reception center for fear that the clash will be repeated.
“How can I sleep peacefully after such an incident?” one local woman asked. “I never know when someone will come out of the cornfield and attack me with a gun. If my dog barks, I no longer dare to go out to check why,” she added.
The migrants reportedly shot at the police as well, resulting in Serbian Minister of the Interior Aleksandar Vulin rushing to the scene and permitting authorities to use live firearms.
A total of seven people were taken to the hospital with gunshot wounds. A 16-year-old Iranian girl had to be operated on immediately, and her condition is currently stable.
The police launched a manhunt against the perpetrators. All migrants waiting in the neighborhood were taken to the police station and interrogated; one was handcuffed in front of the M1 cameras. In the meantime, there were also reports that the Serbian gendarmerie had detained a wanted terrorist, but no further information was available.
In a statement published on Sunday, the Serbian interior minister confirmed that “a 26-year-old Afghan man was caught in a quick and effective operation in Subotica. He is suspected of murder.”
However, tensions remain high. The locals heard gunshots again on Sunday morning, this time from the forest in nearby Kelebia, resulting in authorities returning to the scene.
