Respected wildlife expert gunned down in Omsk region tragedy.
Alexander Ilyin was shot while checking for illegal poachers. Picture: Odnoklassniki
Alexander Ilyin, 50, was checking for illegal poachers when he was gunned down. A hunter Valery Buterus, 57, owner of weapon shop 'Sniper' in Omsk, confessed to pulling the trigger, claiming that mistook Ilyin - a man he knew well - for a wild boar.
The shot was from a distance of around 300 metres. Buterus told police that he and his son, along with a driver, were hunting in forests near Tara. 'He thought that the boar appeared in the bushes and shot. He assured the police that he clearly saw a boar, not a man,' according to one account.
Valery Buterus, 57, owner of weapon shop 'Sniper' in Omsk, confessed to pulling the trigger, claiming that mistook Ilyin for a wild boar. Picture: Odnoklassniki
On approaching to examine his prey, he saw Ilyin lying on the ground but initially 'thought he had suffered a heart attack'. The hunters and their driver rushed the wildlife expert to get medical attention but on reaching an ambulance, Ilyin died.
The cause was later confirmed as a bullet shot close to his shoulder. A criminal case was opened on 'causing death by negligence', but the investigation continues.
Buterus told police that he and his son, along with a driver, were hunting in forests near the town of Tara, Omsk region. Pictures: The Siberian Times, Panoramio
Ilyin had been seeking to identify poachers when he was shot but it was established that Buterus had a hunting license for shooting both boars and bears. They also had gun licenses.
It was confirmed that Buterus knew Ilyin 'rather well and they had a good relationship'. Accounts said that initially the hunter's son had taken responsibility for the fatal shot but later Buterus senior 'confessed' that he had pulled the trigger.
Archeologists discovered a new stone bracelet, two sharp pins, a marble ring and fox tooth pendants.
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