A 42-year-old Uzbekistani man who served as the driver for lawyer Viktor Patrushev passed away in a St. Petersburg hospital after being wounded in what authorities describe as a fatal shooting near a local school. Reports circulating on the Telegram channel 112 provided the initial details of the incident.
According to the report, the driver was shot in the back of the head while he was accompanying Patrushev’s children toward their school. The assailant opened fire in the vicinity, and the driver collapsed there before being transported to hospital. Witnesses at the scene saw the attack unfold, with many people reporting the events as they occurred. Medical teams worked to save his life, but their efforts were not successful, and the victim died soon after admission to the hospital. The event prompted a rapid response from law enforcement and investigators to piece together the sequence of events and identify the perpetrator.
Investigators recovered a cartridge case at the scene, which was traced to a Makarov-type handgun. This detail has fueled speculation about the weapon used and has become a focal point in the ongoing inquiry. One line of early theory suggests the shooter may have mistaken the driver for Patrushev himself, given the proximity to the school and the potential for mistaken identity in a chaotic moment. Authorities stressed that multiple lines of inquiry remain, and no definitive motive has been confirmed at this stage. The case has drawn considerable public attention due to the high-profile nature of Patrushev and the vulnerability of a bystander who happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.
On the day of the incident, the Uzbek-born driver arrived in St. Petersburg and, in the course of his duties, escorted Patrushev’s children to their lessons. He was seen arriving in a black Toyota Camry, and after assisting the minors, he remained in the vicinity until the attack occurred. Law enforcement officials opened a murder investigation and pledged to pursue all leads, including reviewing surveillance footage, interviewing witnesses, and examining the vehicle’s movements in the minutes surrounding the shooting. The inquiry is being conducted with a sense of urgency given the safety implications for the community and the family involved, and authorities have urged anyone with information to come forward. The case has been marked by a high level of public interest, and officials have emphasized the importance of due process while pursuing accountability for the crime.
There are uncorroborated reports from earlier this week about a separate dispute involving Patrushev and a property matter, but investigators have stated that there is no confirmed link between those claims and the shooting. They have reiterated that the investigation will treat all potential angles with equal seriousness and will publish findings only when verified through official channels. In the meantime, regional authorities continue to provide support to Patrushev’s family and to those affected by the incident, underscoring the commitment to a transparent and thorough investigative process. Reports from official sources reference ongoing cooperation with local and federal law enforcement units to ensure a complete and accurate reconstruction of the events that led to the driver’s death. The public is advised to rely on statements from investigative agencies rather than unverified social media posts as the case progresses. (Public safety briefings, authorities, 2025)