Man shoots dead ex-wife, her new partner, 10-year-old child and three others before killing himself

A seven-month-old baby, thought to be the suspected shooter’s child, was found unharmed inside the property

A man has shot dead six people including a 10-year-old child in Zagreb, before killing himself, Croatian police have said.

The man suspected of the killings shot himself in front of police on Friday morning, after a chase that saw large parts of the city sealed off.

Late on Thursday evening, witnesses described hearing loud cries, before gunshots went off, marking the start of what local media are reporting as a “massacre”.

Officers responding to reports of the shooting found the bodies of two men, three women and a 10-year-old child inside a house in the quiet neighbourhood of Kajzerica.

Among the victims found in the property on Cimerman Street was believed to be the suspect’s ex-wife and partner.

A seven-month-old baby, thought to be the suspected shooter’s child, was found unharmed inside.

The man, who officials told local media was Igor Nadj, was found at about 4am on Friday.

As police tried to arrest the man, officials said he turned the gun on himself.

Later on Friday morning, the only remainders of the violence that unfolded the night before, were the signs of the ongoing police investigation.

Police enter the house where a suspect killed six people, including a ten-year-old child, before committing suicide (AP)

Police cordons sealed off the entrances to the alley on either side of the family home at the centre of the shooting, and forensic officers could be on the street.

One resident told local outlet Dnevnik.hr that the neighbourhood was usually a calm and peaceful place.

“I have a son who works in Dubrovnik called me last night. He saw the tragedy on the internet and he was scared. My wife answered and was shocked, she knew it was on our street.

“When they kill one man, it's a tragedy, and this is something indescribable. Six people.”

Zagreb mayor Milan Bandic sought to reassure residents as he described the attack as an isolated incident linked to domestic violence.

"There is no sign of any organised unrest or terror threat in the capital Zagreb, which is most important," he said in a televised statement.

Additional reporting by agencies