Supermarket Standoff
A mass shooting in Kyiv on Saturday left six dead and at least 14 wounded after a gunman opened fire in a residential neighborhood. The attacker, a 58-year-old man, was killed by police after taking hostages inside a supermarket, according to Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko. The shooting took place in the Holosiivskyi district.
Victims and Injuries
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that four people were killed on the street, and another woman later died in the hospital from severe injuries. A hostage was also killed. Among the wounded is a 12-year-old boy and a supermarket security guard, according to Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko.
Negotiating and Neutralizing
Police negotiators attempted to speak with the gunman for 40 minutes while he was in the supermarket, according to Klymenko. A female negotiator wearing body armor urged the assailant to release the hostages via loudspeaker. Klymenko said that the gunman did not respond to offers to bring in tourniquets for a wounded person inside. Special tactical police units ultimately stormed the store.
Gunman's Background
The gunman was born in Moscow and had lived in the Donetsk region for a long period, according to Zelenskyy. Zelenskyy said the attacker had a prior criminal record and set fire to an apartment before the shooting. The gunman had a valid weapon's permit, according to Klymenko.
Terrorism Investigation
Ukraine's security service, the SBU, has labeled the killings as an act of terrorism. Zelenskyy stated that investigators are verifying every detail about the attacker and his motives. Hanna Kulyk, a 75-year-old neighbor, described the gunman as an "educated, refined man" who lived alone and did not socialize often.
Aftermath
Shootings of this kind are rare in Kyiv, particularly during wartime. President Zelenskyy said investigators will check the suspect's electronic devices, phone, and all contacts.
For example, AP journalists Vasilisa Stepanenko and Dan Bashakov were among those who contributed to the reporting on the Kyiv shooting.