A man in Izhevsk has been sentenced to prison after firing at cyclists with an air gun in a public setting. This outcome was reported by the Unified Press Service of the Courts of Udmurtia, which provided details on the case and its resolution.
The incident occurred in May 2023 when a 36-year-old local resident, who had prior convictions, consumed alcohol and discharged an air rifle multiple times in a public area. During the provocation, he directed the weapon toward people passing by on bicycles, striking one cyclist in the shoulder. The impact of the shot left the victim shaken and prompted immediate concern about public safety in the neighbourhood. In the wake of the event, authorities opened a criminal case on hooliganism involving the use of a weapon, with investigators aiming to determine the full extent of the offender’s actions and the resulting disruption to the community. The court subsequently concluded that the defendant’s behavior grossly violated public order and the peace of citizens, inflicting both moral distress and bodily harm on the injured cyclist. The ruling reflects the seriousness with which incident-related misconduct in crowded public spaces is treated by the judiciary and law enforcement in Udmurtia. Source: Unified Press Service of the Courts of Udmurtia
In its final decision, the court held that the accused bore responsibility for his actions and that his level of culpability warranted a substantial custodial sentence. The sentence issued was three years and six months in a penal institution, with the offender to serve the term in a maximum-security correctional colony. This outcome underscores the balance the judiciary seeks between punishing violent or threatening conduct and protecting the broader public from potential recurrences of such harm. The verdict also signals the attention given to cases where intoxication intersects with risky, unlawful behavior in public spaces. Source: Unified Press Service of the Courts of Udmurtia
Historically, the offender had a pattern of troubling conduct. Records indicate that he had previously resided in Volgograd and had been involved in an incident captured on video that showed him kicking a girl in the stomach in a supermarket. This prior episode was noted in court proceedings and cited as part of the background that influenced the overall assessment of risk and the appropriate severity of the sentence. The case illustrates how prior incidents, even those not directly linked to the current offense, can shape judicial consideration in sentencing and contribute to a broader narrative about danger to the public. Source: Unified Press Service of the Courts of Udmurtia