In Focus Armed Violence Monitor on Celebratory Shootings in South East Europe in 2021is Published

In its most recent In Focus - Armed Violence Monitor, SEESAC addresses celebratory shooting incidents in South-East Europe (SEE) from 1 January to 31 December 2021, including a comparative overview to 2020 in order to identify trends and challenges associated with this dangerous practice.  

The phenomenon of discharging a firearm into the air during private or public gatherings to celebrate the occasion still prevails in SEE like in many other many cultures and regions despite its severe outcomes ranging from injuries and death to property damage from stray bullets.

The following are some of the key findings from this issue:

  • A total of 125 celebratory shooting incidents were documented in South East Europe in 2021, which is nearly double the number recorded in 2020.
  • The celebratory shooting incidents took place on various occasions, mainly at family celebrations (84)[1], weddings (9) and New Year’s celebrations (7).
  • Similar to 2020, the highest number of celebratory shootings was reported in the summer months, i.e. July (31), August (52), with 82 % occurring at family celebrations.
  • Like in 2020, handguns were the most commonly used type of weapon, with 46 (41%) reported incidents involving this type of firearm. The use of gas pistols increased, with 38 (23%) incidents recorded in 20221.  Automatic/Military-grade weapons were reported as used in 13 (16.9%) celebratory shooting incidents. Firearms were seized in 113 (90%) incidents related to celebratory shootings. 
  • Out of 133 perpetrators, 120 (90 %) were men and 4 (3%) were women, when the sex was known.
  • Nine victims of celebratory shooting incidents were reported in 5 (8%) incidents. Two men died, while seven men and two women were injured.

For additional information on celebratory shooting incidents in the SEE in 2021, please click here. 

About the Armed Violence Monitoring Platform (AVMP)

The Armed Violence Monitoring Platform (AVMP) has been established by SEESAC with EU funding within the framework of EU Council Decision (CFSP) 2016/2356 and is currently supported through EU Council Decision (CFSP) 2019/2111, in support of SEESAC disarmament and arms control activities in South-East Europe.

The AVMP captures data on firearm-related incidents happening in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Serbia, North Macedonia, Kosovo* and the Republic of Moldova. 

The data is gathered daily from the relevant authorities' official websites, as well as print and online media.  The collected data range from the type of incident, firearms used, age and gender of the victim and the perpetrator, outcome of the incident. etc. Basic data analysis is also provided for various data sets aiming to discover trends related to the incidents. Quality assurance is conducted rigorously by SEESAC. The platform has seen significant improvements in recent years in terms of data collection and categorization. 

The purpose of the AVMP is to make essential data available to all interested parties working on small arms and light weapons control. The AVMP can serve as an informative tool for interventions with the overarching goal of a more effective response to arms control and the reduction of their negative impact on civilians.

 

[1] It should be emphasized that the media and police reports do not provide precise information on the occasion behind these family gatherings, which may include, among other events, weddings, birthday parties, childbirth celebrations,  engagements.

*References to Kosovo shall be understood to be in the context of Security Council Resolution 1244 (1999)

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