SKOPJE, Macedonia - Macedonia is mourning the killing of five men, the worst mass murder in the history of the tiny Balkan country that has fuelled speculation they were ethnic-related.
The municipality of Butel, where the killings occurred, has declared a day of mourning and flags have been lowered to half staff.
The men were found shot dead late on Thursday near an artificial lake just north of the capital, Skopje.
The victims were ethnic Macedonians, all fishermen. Four were in their 20s, and the fifth was in his 40s. Media identified them as Filip Slavkovski, Aleksandar Nakjevski, Tsvetanco Atsevski, Kire Trickovski and Borce Stefanovski. Their bodies have been returned to their families following examination by forensic experts and their funerals were under way.
Interior Minister Gordana Jankulovska said on Saturday that "more than one perpetrator" killed the five men, using three types of firearms.
She said that "by this point we (police) are still unable to say that the killings were ethnic-related because the police have no suspects".