Armed man kills court official, wounds witness in Novokuznetsk

The tragic accident happened during an early morning hearing at the city magistrate’s court. Two participants of the criminal case on deliberate damage to property - a man and a woman - were given time in a separate room with a hope that they could reach an agreement.

They failed to reach a deal, and the 45 man walked out of the building to grab a rifle he kept in the car. A court bailiff blocked his way back into the building and got shot in the stomach. The man ran back into the room and shot into 43 year old female witness. 

He was stopped at the point of recharging the rifle by other court bailiffs and Russian guards. 

The wounded bailiff died on way to the operation theatre. 

The woman was rushed to hospital with serious wounds. 

The shooter was identified by several Novokuznetsk media as Artyom Pakalov. He was earlier involved in a bitter row over damaged cars in a local village, with his behaviour described as ‘insane’. 

The court building is currently sealed, with no-one allowed to leave it. 

Criminal Investigators from Moscow were sent to Novokuznetsk to assist in working with the case at the order of Alexander Bastrykin, head of Russian Investigative Committee.