![]() A Description of Events Dragan Gagovic lost his life on the morning of January 9th, 1999 between 11:00 a.m. and noon, on the road between Ustipraca and Cajnice in the Republic of Srpska. SFOR units killed Gagovic during a surprise attack while he was driving his car. With him in the car were five children, ages 11 and 12 years old. Gagovic was returning them from the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia where they had attended a karate course on the Tara Mountain. According to the official statement given by a SFOR representative, a SFOR unit of French soldiers killed Dragan Gagovic in a supposed "act of self-defence". However, according to the statements given by the five children, who were in the car with Gagovic at the time, it appears that he was literally liquidated by being shot at from the back. That is why the opinion of an expert in forensic medicine was sought, based on the material traces found at the scene, the unbiased results of the autopsy and on the witnesses’ statements. The following official documents were used for this analysis: the Investigation Report, (Picture1), conducted by the Investigative Judge of the Primary Court in Rogatica, Mrs. Nada Mandic, an Official Sketch of the sight , (Picture 2), documented photos taken at the sight, the Report of the second autopsy which was performed by Dr. Stanisa Milic, (along with a video tape of this autopsy), the statements given by the five children who were in the car with Gagovic, and the statements given by the other witnesses, that is persons who were prevented from crossing that part of the road by SFOR units.
According to official documents, several tens of soldiers used motored vehicles, trucks and helicopters during this attack on Dragan Gagovic. The five children who were in the car at the time of the attack were taken into custody and were finally returned to their parents after having spent several hours in "confinement". All five children told the exact same story regarding the events which followed their "arrest". Each of them said that they were first forced to sit in the snow. Then they were forced to keep their heads down, (enabling them to see where they were being taken), on their way to the SFOR base where they were subjected to detailed questioning. They were also examined by a doctor at the base who said that they had not been physically injured, but indicated that, as a consequence, they would have severe mental suffering. Immediately following the attack, the Investigative Judge went to the scene to conduct an investigation at which time she made a sketch of the sight and also took appropriate documented photographs. Picture 3 shows Gagovic’s overturned vehicle with arrows pointing to the spot where 23 bullet shells were discovered. Picture 4 shows a close-up shot of the spot where the shells were found while Picture 5 shows a close-up shot of the car. Pictures 6, 7, 8 and 9 show the damage to the rear end of the car caused by the bullets. Pictures 10 and 11 show the damage which the bullets caused to the front passenger seat of the car where one of the children had been seated. The damage which the bullets caused to the windshield glass, is shown from the inside, in Picture 12. Pictures 13 and 14 show the children’s bags and toys pierced with bullet holes. Bullets found in the vehicle are shown in Pictures 15 and 16. Picture 17 shows traces of the brain and blood on the front seats of the car. Picture 18 shows a little metal pipe with a medicinal needle on one end which was found by the vehicle, and whose discovery aroused suspicions.
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