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The Split shooting (Croatian: Pucnjava u Splitu) was a mass shooting that occurred on 11 January 2020 in the city of Split, Croatia. A 26-year-old male gunman, reportedly a professional sailor, opened fire on three men in the city's residential neighborhood of Varoš, killing all three.^[4][5]

The perpetrator was arrested shortly after the attack by the police. Authorities described the incident as a targeted act of revenge linked to disputes within organized crime groups in Split.^[6] The shooting shocked the country and prompted public debate about the rise of violent crime and the influence of criminal networks in coastal Croatian cities.^[7]

The perpetrator had no confirmed ties to organized crime according to early reports.^[8] The victims Jurica Torlak, Marin Paić (known as "Pajser"), and Marin Boban were reportedly connected to the local drug scene and had allegedly threatened Zavadlav's brother over unpaid debts.^[9]

According to witnesses, the Zavadlav family had been harassed for months prior to the attack, and Filip had complained to friends and relatives about violent threats from criminal groups in Split's underworld.^[10]

On the afternoon of 11 January 2020, Zavadlav carried out a mass shooting in the Varoš district of Split. Armed with an AK-47 rifle, he shot and killed three men associated with the local drug scene.^[11] The first victim, Marin Paić, was shot while riding a Suzuki Burgman scooter in Radmilovićeva Street. The second and third, Jurica Torlak and Marin Boban, were shot minutes later near Šperun Square while traveling on a Yamaha XT.^[12]

Eyewitness footage circulated on social media showing a young man walking calmly through Split carrying a rifle. Police later confirmed the suspect as Zavadlav.^[13] Reports indicate he may have planned to target two additional individuals but did not carry out further attacks.^[14]

Filip Zavadlav, (born 1995) was a seaman from Split, and had no confirmed ties to organized crime according to early reports.^[15]

Zavadlav lived in an impoverished household which was under inspection by the Croatian authorities for roughly 2 decades, while his parents were drug addicts for years, abuse was also common in the family namely an incident where when Zavaldav was 13 years old, he and his younger brother "Stanislav Zavadlav" fled the household to report his mother to the police for domestic violence, despite the report no action was ever taken to remove the siblings from the family

Court testimony later revealed that Zavadlav's family had endured ongoing intimidation and threats linked to local narcotics groups.^[16] His brother had reportedly been assaulted several times by members of the same circle as the victims. Defense attorneys claimed the accused had suffered psychological distress and "diminished capacity" from prolonged stress and fear.^[17]

After the killings, Zavadlav reportedly left the crime scene and went toward the city center. Several media outlets claimed he briefly entered a local bar before surrendering to police without resistance, though official reports stated he was captured later that evening.^[18] He was taken into custody by the Croatian police and later transferred to a psychiatric hospital for evaluation.^[19] Police described the murders as a deliberate act of revenge following long-term conflicts involving his family.^[20]

Zavadlav's trial began in 2021 under heavy security. Both he and his police escort wore bulletproof vests due to threats of retaliation from criminal associates of the victims.^[21] The prosecution sought a long-term prison sentence for triple aggravated murder, while the defense requested psychiatric reevaluation.^[22] The proceedings included testimony from witnesses, forensic experts, and police officers. As of the most recent reports, the final verdict had not been publicly confirmed.

The incident shocked Croatia and ignited a major public debate about organized crime and the state's ability to protect citizens. On social media, some users portrayed Zavadlav as a "hero" who acted against known criminals, while others condemned the killings as unjustifiable vigilantism.^[23] Authorities, including the Mayor of Split and the Ministry of the Interior, urged the public not to glorify violence and promised a stronger crackdown on organized criminal groups.^[24]

• Vigilantism