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Death toll from church shooting in Dagestan’s Kizlyar climbs to five

People were leaving a church after an evening service when shooter opened gunfire at them

TASS, February 18.  The death toll from the church shooting in Dagestan’s Kizlyar has risen to five, a spokeswoman for the republican health ministry told TASS on Sunday.

"As of now, the death toll has risen to five after a woman died of wounds in hospital," said Zalina Murtazaliyeva.

A spokesman for the Russian Investigative Committee’s directorate for Dagestan told TASS the shooter who opened gunfire at people leaving a church in Dagestan’s Kizlyar had been identified as a 22-year-old local resident.

"The shooter (who was killed) has been identified. He is a local resident of 22 years of age," the spokesman said, adding that a criminal case had been opened over the incident.

Meanwhile, a source in the local law enforcement agencies told TASS that the young man had not been wanted by the police as a member of illegal armed groups or a militant accomplice.

According to the source, the shooter had a sporting gun, bullets and a knife on him.

The incident took place in Dagestan’s Kizlyar on Sunday. Some sources say the shooter opened gunfire in a church, others say he was shooting at people, mostly women, leaving the church. The man was shot dead by police when trying to flee the scene. As a result of shooting five people were killed and five more were wounded.