Aleksandar Simic

The police officer of the Novi Sad intervention unit, Aleksandar Simic (31), was killed in the night between Sunday and Monday, an hour after midnight in the center of Novi Sad, in Laze Telecko Street. A bullet hit him in the head. On suspicion of killing Simic, his colleague and good friend Miodrag R. (31), a member of the same unit, was arrested. Marko Topic, a former policeman, who happened to be there by chance, was wounded by the ricochet on the street. The bullet injured his finger.

Simic, who was not on duty that evening, was killed at the door of the "Tapas bar" in the aforementioned street, known for its numerous cafes and a favorite meeting place for the people of Novi Sad. According to "Novosti", he worked as a security guard in that bar with another colleague.

The circumstances under which the unfortunate event took place are still being determined, and for now the only thing that can be said with certainty is that Simic and his suspected colleague and good friend Miodrag R. were not on duty. Miodrag fired the fatal shot from his official CZ 99 pistol.

The on-duty deputy of the senior public prosecutor in Novi Sad conducted an investigation with the police, and the criminal offense was qualified as murder in the event of causing general danger - told "Novosti" in the Higher Public Prosecutor's Office.

The suspect was detained for up to 48 hours.

Policeman Simic, a native of Batocina, for some time, when he was not on duty, took care of the safety of visitors to the cafe in the popular Laze Telecko Street. A little before one o'clock after midnight, Miodrag R. stopped by the "Tapas bar", and we have unofficially learned that, in addition to his police work, he was also involved in securing a cafe outside of duty.

He invited the guy who was at the door together with Simic for a drink - we learn unofficially. This one commented that it was crowded and that he should not stay alone at the entrance. After those words, Miodrag took out his official pistol from his belt and jokingly pointed it at Simic. At one point, a shot rang out, and Simic fell to the floor.

Realizing what he had done, Miodrag, otherwise married, the father of two minor children, tried to help his colleague and friend, and several guests and one of the members of the intervention unit, which arrived on the scene in a few minutes, came to the rescue. He tried to resuscitate Simic, but unfortunately, he could not be saved. And the emergency team could only confirm death.

Miodrag probably experienced a nervous breakdown due to the unfortunate event, so he tried to shoot himself - said one of the eyewitnesses of the unfortunate event.

One of the waiters grabbed his hand, but at that moment the gun fired again, and the ricochet lightly wounded a passer-by on Marko Topic Street, their former colleague. Miodrag was taken by ambulance to the Clinic for Neuropsychiatry, where he was kept. In the hospital, according to unofficial information, he tried to take his own life two more times, because of what he had done.

Aleksandar Simic lived in Novi Sad as a tenant with his girlfriend. They planned to crown their almost two-year relationship with marriage, and then tragedy struck on Monday.

Around three o'clock, when he usually returned from that job, he was not there, so I called him on his mobile phone, but he did not answer - Aleksandar's girlfriend says in a low voice, almost a whisper, overcome by pain.

By five o'clock I must have called him 20 times, but he was unavailable. A little after five, his colleagues came and told me what happened. I can't believe he's gone.

In the house of the injured policeman Aleksandar Simic, in Batocina, on Monday - silence. The news that came to them in the early hours of the morning almost broke their mother Svetlana and grandmother Nadezda.

My son was a good boy - says mother Nadezda.

He went to Novi Sad five years ago. He loved that city and wanted to stay there. His brother also lives there. He recently promised us that he would come to visit his family in Batocina.

In the neighborhood, they claim that the deceased was a very correct neighbor and that he did not show by any action that he belonged, as is already stated in the media, to the criminal milieu.

And in the local police, we unofficially learn that he had extremely good results in his career. He has been awarded several times. He was also a prominent member of the Police Union.

Source: Vecernje Novosti - 10/07/2013.