Serb , Croat , Muslim . Gavrilo Princip fired the shot that started the Balkans war when he killed Archduke Franz Ferdinand 's . Princip , a Slav nationalist , wanted to drive the Austro-Hungarian empire . of Bosnia . He was a high school student when he carried out the assassination , in Bosnia . He got close to his victim purely by chance , and only fired only one shot .
Gavrilo Princip fired the shot that started the Balkans war when he killed Archduke Franz Ferdinand 's . Princip , a Slav nationalist , wanted to drive the Austro-Hungarian empire . of Bosnia . He was a high school student when he carried out the assassination , in Bosnia . He got close to his victim purely by chance , and only fired only one shot .