An 11-year-old boy was injured in the face after a shot from an air weapon in St. Petersburg. The suspect is said to be 38-year-old Kazakh-born Mariinsky Theatre artist Aitzhan Smagulov.
HOW THE INCIDENT HAPPENED
According to the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs, the child was playing the saxophone when a man from a neighbouring house opened fire from his apartment window. The reason for the conflict was the music, which, according to the suspect, was preventing him from sleeping.
After the shot, the boy was taken to the theatre's medical centre, reports the publication ‘Fontanka’. There, he received first aid and an ambulance was called. The child was later hospitalised in a children's hospital.
WHAT IS KNOWN ABOUT THE BOY'S CONDITION
The victim's father said that the bullet hit the child in the cheek, left a lacerated wound, went straight through and lodged in the bone. According to him, doctors had to remove the bullet from his chin.
After the operation, the boy remains in hospital due to the risk of complications. The father reported that the child's condition is improving.
WHAT THE INVESTIGATION AND THE THEATRE REPORTED
The Investigative Committee of Russia has opened a criminal case under Part 2 of Article 213 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (‘Hooliganism with the use of weapons’). The head of the Investigative Committee of Russia, Alexander Bastrykin, has requested a report on the progress of the investigation.
The suspect has been detained. The Ministry of Internal Affairs released a video of his interview, in which the man admitted his guilt. According to him, he wanted to scare the child and fired only one shot. He also stated that there was ‘no malicious intent’.
The Mariinsky Theatre said they were concerned about the incident and were monitoring the victim's condition.
WHAT IS KNOWN ABOUT THE SUSPECT
According to the publication 78.ru, the suspect is Aitzhan Smagulov, who has been working at the Mariinsky Theatre since 2021. On the theatre's website, he is listed as a member of the mime troupe, which performs episodic roles and takes part in crowd scenes.
The man's ‘Makarov MR-654k’ gas-powered air pistol was seized. This type of weapon is not classified as a firearm, but can cause serious injury as it shoots metal pellets.
It is also reported that Aitzhan Smagulov is the son of People's Artist of Tatarstan and Honoured Artist of Russia Yelena Shcheglova, and People's Artist of Kazakhstan and Tatarstan Bakhytzhan Smagulov.