On Friday, Pope Francis conveyed his profound sorrow for the news of the recent killings in Serbia, which claimed the lives of seventeen persons in two different events, including eight young students.

The Holy Father sent his deepest sympathies and promised to pray for everyone impacted by these senseless acts of violence in a telegram addressed to Archbishop Ladislav Német of Belgrade and signed on his behalf by Pietro Parolin, Cardinal Secretary of State.

The Incidents
The first incident occurred on Wednesday at the Vladislav Ribnikar Primary School in Belgrade when a 13-year-old boy opened fire, killing eight other students and a security officer.

The second incident occurred on Friday morning in the towns of Mladenovac and Dubona, when a young man began firing at people from a moving automobile with an automatic weapon after a dispute with a police officer in a Dubona park on Thursday evening. The incident resulted in the death of eight individuals, while 14 others, including two persons in critical condition, were hurt.

Both suspects are currently in custody.

Pope Connected with the Grieving Families
The Pope said that he is spiritually connected to the human grief of those who lament the passing of innocent victims, whom he consigns to the benevolent arms of the Risen Lord.

According to the Telegraph, The Supreme Pontiff gives his consoling Apostolic blessing and invokes the comfort and power of the Holy Spirit onto the grieving families and those injured so that they may be supported in their faith.

New Rules on Gun Ownership
Aleksandar Vučić, the president of Serbia, denounced the shootings and called them an attack on all of us. He also unveiled several additional security measures, including a pledge to hire 1,200 new police officers.

Along with these measures, he promised to enact a prohibition on new gun permits, harsher punishments for illicit weapons ownership, and psychological examinations of gun owners.

Serbia has among the highest rates of gun ownership in Europe while having one of the strictest firearms restrictions in the world.